Converting monsters from Second Edition Monstrous Compendiums
Cleon
Legend
Arise thread! I think we'd better finish this one, since waiting's not going to do us any good.I'll get back to conversion posts tomorrow (had Thanksgiving here today), but I noticed this as a "current" conversion still and realized we'd forgotten about it.
Yes, I guess we'd better start a Working Draft with what we've got so far, since we still don't have access to Homebrews.
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
Undead Dragon Slayer
Undead Dragon Slayer (template)
A horrifying undead humanoid, little more than a skeleton held together by rotting flesh. Lifeless eyes peer from the sockets of its skull-like face. Its weapons and armor glow with a supernatural light and are decorated with a dragon-scale design and images of dragons or draconic body parts bearing appalling wounds.
Undead dragon slayers are creatures animated by an unquenchable urge to kill dragons. Most are created by evil dragon-fighting cults, but a few have dragged themselves back from the dead through their undying hatred of dragonkind. Those undead dragon slayers created by necromantic rites must obey the spellcasters who ushered them into unlife.
These undead are at least as intelligent and powerful as they were in life and have additional supernatural powers tuned to slaughtering dragons. Killing dragons gives an undead dragon slayer the energy to maintain its unnatural existence, and they fall back into death if this energy runs out (as detailed in their Draconic Slaughter).
Undead dragon slayers tend to hunt in well-coordinated teams with other undead, the better to overcome their powerful dragon prey. As well as other undead dragon slayers, they often fight alongside skeletal warriors; often the reanimated "lesser heroes" of a dragon-fighting cult. Ironically, they also associate with undead dragons, as their lust to kill only applies to living dragons. Some undead dragon slayers derive perverse amusement from turning a dragon they have slain into a dracolich or zombie and using this undead slave to slay that dragon's kin.
A typical undead dragon slayer stands 6 to 7 feet tall and weighs about 250 pounds. They can speak whatever languages they knew in life, which usually includes Common and Draconic.
Creating an Undead Dragon Slayer
“Undead Dragon Slayer” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) that has a base attack bonus of +9 or higher or a caster level of 9th or higher.
An undead dragon slayer has all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Armor Class: An undead dragon slayer has a +6 natural armor bonus or the base creature’s natural armor bonus, whichever is better.
Special Attacks: An undead dragon slayer retains the base creature's special attacks and gains those described below. Save DCs are equal to 10 + 1/2 undead dragon slayer's HD + undead dragon slayer's Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Anti-Dragon Casting (Ex): Undead dragon slayers gain a bonus equal to half their favored enemy bonus on caster level checks to overcome the spell resistance of dragons (this does not stack with other bonuses, such as from Spell Penetration) as well as the effects of Spell Focus for all spells cast against dragons. At caster level 17th, an undead dragon slayer also gains the effects of Greater Spell Focus for all spells cast against dragons.
Favored Enemy (Dragon) (Ex): Undead dragon slayers have dragons as favored enemies, as per the ranger class ability. The bonus is equal to the maximum bonus achieved by a ranger of the dragon slayer's HD. An undead dragon slayer's favored enemy (dragon) ability does not stack with any other favored enemy ability.
Weapon Throwing (Ex): Undead dragon slayers can throw any melee weapon or throwing weapon at a dragon as a standard action. The attack does not take any penalties for being an improvised weapon but instead gains a +1 racial attack bonus.
Special Qualities: An undead dragon slayer retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described below.
Breath Evasion (Ex): The undead dragon slayer gains evasion (as the rogue class feature) against breath weapons. If the slayer has evasion from another source, its breath evasion becomes improved evasion against breath weapons.
Damage Reduction (Su): An undead dragon slayer gains damage reduction 5/-.
Draconic Slaughter (Su): Undead dragon slayers must kill dragons to maintain their existence. Slaying a dragon will sustain an undead dragon slayer for one week per Hit Die the dragon possesses. This duration stacks, up to a maximum of one year per character level the undead dragon slayer possesses. To "feed" off a dragon's dying life force, an undead dragon slayer must strike a dragon with an attack in the same round as the dragon dies. If multiple undead dragon slayers all strike the dragon in the same round it dies, the duration of Draconic Slaughter is shared between them.
If the duration of draconic slaughter run out, the undead dragon slayer must succeed at a DC 15 Will save or be immediately destroyed. The save must be repeated each day, with the DC increasing by +1 for each previous success, until the undead dragon slayer kills a dragon or is destroyed.
Dragon Defense (Ex): Undead dragon slayers gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC and a +1 bonus to Reflex saves against attacks made by dragons.
Immunity to Turning and Rebuking (Ex): An undead dragon slayer cannot be turned, rebuked, commanded, or destroyed by the turn/rebuke undead class feature.
Spell Resistance (Ex): An undead dragon slayer has spell resistance equal to its HD + 13.
Unholy Toughness (Ex): An undead dragon slayer gains a bonus to its hit points equal to its Charisma modifier × its Hit Dice.
Additional Special Abilities
An undead dragon slayer may select from the following special abilities. It gains one special ability per two points of BAB or caster level (whichever is higher), rounded down.
Anti-Dragon Evocation (Sp): 3 times per day, an undead dragon slayer may alter any evocation spell they cast so that it does an extra 50% of force damage against dragons. For example, a caster level 10 fireball does 10d6 hp of fire damage, plus an additional 5d6 points of force damage to dragons. Anti-dragon force damage stacks with Metamagic feats that increase a spell's damage: e.g. a CL 12 Empowered flame strike would do (12d6 increased by 50%) fire damage, plus an additional 9d6 force damage to dragons.
Bind Wings (Su): Once per day, an undead dragon slayer may spend a standard action to make a single attack imbued with the ability to bind a dragon's wings. If the attack hits a creature with the dragon subtype, bands of force wrap around the dragon, preventing flight for 1d6 rounds. If the dragon is in flight at the time that this ability takes effect, the dragon falls immediately, taking falling damage (unless prevented by a feather fall spell or similar ability). The bands of force are immune to damage and cannot be burst by Strength checks, but they can be destroyed by any effect that can destroy a wall of force. A bound dragon may escape with a successful Escape Artist check (DC equals 10 + undead dragon slayer's HD + undead dragon slayer's Cha modifier).
Dazzling Display (Su): As a standard action or part of a full attack action, an undead dragon slayer may make a series of complicated motions with its weapons which befuddles any dragon that sees it. Any dragon within 120 feet that can see the slayer must make a Fortitude save or become dazzled for 1d6 rounds. In addition, the dragon must make a Concentration check to cast any spell, use a spell-like ability, or maintain a spell that requires Concentration (DC equals 10 + undead dragon slayer's HD + undead dragon slayer's Cha modifier). If the dazzling display is part of a full attack action, all attacks take a -2 attack penalty.
Enchant Dragon (Sp): 3/day an undead dragon slayer can alter an Enchantment spell that usually has no effect on dragons, such as charm person, so it will affect dragons as if they were the type of creature the spell is most effective against.
Enhanced Breath Evasion (Ex): The undead dragon slayer gains improved evasion (as the rogue class feature) against breath weapons.
Scry Dragon (Sp): 3 times per day, the Undead Dragon Slayer can modify any divination spell so it is especially effective against dragons. The spell gains a +1 bonus on caster level checks to overcome a dragon's spell resistance and its range increases by 100%. These adjustments stack with spell augmentations from other sources, such as the Spell Penetration or Enlarge Spell metamagic feats.
A spell modified by scry dragon is only capable of detecting dragons. Thus a modified detect evil spell is able to detect evil dragons to a 120 ft. range, but cannot detect evil creatures that are not dragons. Scry Dragon can only modify divination spells that are capable of detecting dragons or phenomena of a draconic nature. It could not modify locate object (since dragons are not objects), but could modify detect undead or detect thought (to detect an undead dragon or a dragon's thoughts).
Smite Dragon (Su): Once per day, an undead dragon slayer may attempt to smite a dragon with one normal melee attack. The slayer adds its Charisma bonus (if any) to its attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per HD. If the undead dragon slayer accidentally smites a non-dragon, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.
Stifle Breath (Su): Once per day, an undead dragon slayer may spend a standard action to make a single attack with the ability to disable a dragon's breath weapon. If this attack hits a creature with the dragon subtype, it prevents the dragon using any breath weapon it has for 1d6 rounds. The effects of stifle breath can be cancelled by any power that removes exhaustion.
Transmute Dragon (Sp): As Enchant Dragon (see above), except it alters a Transmutation spell, such as reduce person, so it affect dragons.
True Strike (Sp): The undead dragon slayer may use true strike once per day as a move action on any attack against a dragon.
Improved Additional Special Abilities
The undead dragon slayer may choose the following special abilities if it has a BAB of at least +12 or a caster level of at least 12th. To choose an improved ability, the undead dragon slayer must already possess the corresponding special ability given above.
Improved Anti-Dragon Evocation (Sp): The undead dragon slayer's Anti-Dragon Evocation does +100% extra force damage instead of +50%.
Improved Dazzling Display (Su): The undead dragon slayer may make a dazzling display as part of a standard attack action or a full attack action, and the dazzling display DC gains a +2 enhancement bonus (see Dazzling Display above). To select this special ability, the undead dragon slayer must already have the Dazzling Display special attack.
Improved Dragon Defense (Ex): The undead dragon slayer gains an additional +2 dodge bonus to AC and a +1 bonus to Reflex saves against attacks made by dragons, which stacks with Dragon Defense.
Improved Enchant Dragon (Sp): When the undead dragon slayer uses its Enchant Dragon ability the Enchantment spell gains a +1 bonus to DC and a +1 bonus on caster level checks to overcome a dragon's spell resistance.
Improved Scry Dragon (Sp): When the undead dragon slayer uses its Scry Dragon ability the Divination spell has a +2 bonus on caster level checks to overcome a dragon's spell resistance and its range increases by 200% (this includes the bonuses from Scry Dragon).
Improved Transmute Dragon (Sp): As Improved Enchant Dragon (see above), except it alters a Transmutation spell.
Improved Weapon Throwing (Ex): The undead dragon slayer can throw any melee weapon or throwing weapon at a dragon as a standard action. The attack does not take any penalties for being an improvised weapon but instead gains a +4 racial attack bonus and does additional damage equal to 1d6 plus 1d6 per 2 HD of the undead dragon slayer. The attack bonus does not stack with that gained from the Weapon Throwing ability.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. Being undead, an undead dragon slayer has no Constitution score.
Environment: Any, usually same as base creature
Organization: Solitary, hunt (2-4), company (1-4 plus 1-8 skeleton warriors), flight (1-4 plus 1 dracolich), or squadron (2-4 plus 1 dracolich and 2-12 skeleton warriors and 1-6 young adult red dragon skeletons or zombie wyverns)
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1.
Treasure: Standard (including possessions appropriate for its character level).
Alignment: Any nongood.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +4.
SAMPLE CREATURE
Human Undead Dragon Slayer Ranger 2/Ex-Paladin 3/Blackguard 8
Undead (augmented humanoid)
Hit Dice: 13d12+78 (162 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares, base speed 30 ft.)
Armor Class: 22 (+10 +2 mithral full plate, +1 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 12, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+18
Attack: +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword +20 melee (2d6+8/17-20) or +1 composite longbow (+5 Str) +15 ranged (1d8+6/×3)
Full Attack: +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword +20/+15/+10 melee (2d6+8/17-20) or +1 composite longbow (+5 Str) +15/+10/+5 ranged (1d8+6/×3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: anti-dragon casting, bind wings, command undead, dazzling display, favored enemy (dragon), favored enemy (magical beast), improved weapon throwing, smite dragon, smite good 3/day, sneak attack +2d6, spells, true strike, weapon throwing
Special Qualities: aura of despair, aura of evil, breath evasion, damage reduction 5/-, dark blessing, detect good, draconic slaughter, dragon defense, enhanced breath evasion, fiendish servant (heavy warhorse), immunity to turning and rebuking, lay on hands, poison use, spell resistance 26, unholy toughness, wild empathy
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +14, Will +12
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 12, Con -, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 22
Skills: Concentration +16, Knowledge (religion) +7, Handle Animal +13, Heal +9, Hide +4* (+6 without armor penalty), Listen +13 (+19 vs dragons), Ride +19, Spot +13 (+19 vs dragons), Survival +5 (+11 tracking dragons)
Feats: Cleave, Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Sunder, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Track(B), Two-Weapon Fighting(B), Weapon Focus (greatsword)
Environment: Any, usually same as base creature
Organization: Solitary, hunt (2-4), company (1-4 plus 1-8 skeleton warriors), flight (1-4 plus 1 dracolich), or squadron (2-4 plus 1 dracolich and 2-12 skeleton warriors and 1-6 young adult red dragon skeletons or zombie wyverns)
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: Standard (see possessions)
Alignment: Any evil
Advancement: by character class
Level Adjustment: +4
CHANGES WHEN FIGHTING A DRAGON
Armor Class: 24 (+10 +2 mithral full plate, +1 Dex, +1 deflection, +2 dodge), touch 14, flat-footed 21
Attack: +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword +22 melee (4d6+16/17-20) or +1 composite longbow (+5 Str) +15 ranged (1d8+12/×3)
Full Attack: +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword +22/+17/+12 melee (4d6+16/17-20) or +1 composite longbow (+5 Str) +15/+10/+5 ranged (1d8+12/×3) or +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword +22 ranged (11d6+13/17-20)
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +15, Will +12
The undead dragon slayer presented here is a former human with the following base ability scores: Str 16, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 16.
COMBAT
Given time to prepare for battle with a dragon, this undead dragon slayer enhances its combat abilities with its spells, starting with freedom of movement and protection from energy. The undead dragon slayer opens combat with a bind wings attack against a single dragon but begins with a dazzling display when fighting multiple dragons. During combat, it uses its sneak attack whenever possible and its smite dragon and true strike abilities opportunistically. If a moderately weakened dragon attempts escape, the undead dragon slayer will throw its greatsword as a way to finish the dragon off. It typically uses its boots of speed early in combat, especially against particularly tough or multiple foes.
Spells 3/2/1/1 (save DC 12 plus spell level)
4th—freedom of movement
3rd—protection from energy
2nd—bull's strength, inflict moderate wounds
1st—cause fear, corrupt weapon, inflict light wounds
Equipment: +2 mithral full plate, +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword, +1 composite longbow (+5 Str), 40 cold iron arrows, 30 silver arrows, 10 adamantine arrows, boots of speed, ring of protection +1, cloak of resistance +1, wand of inflict light wounds, 134 gp
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #205 (1994).
Undead Dragon Slayer (template)
A horrifying undead humanoid, little more than a skeleton held together by rotting flesh. Lifeless eyes peer from the sockets of its skull-like face. Its weapons and armor glow with a supernatural light and are decorated with a dragon-scale design and images of dragons or draconic body parts bearing appalling wounds.
Undead dragon slayers are creatures animated by an unquenchable urge to kill dragons. Most are created by evil dragon-fighting cults, but a few have dragged themselves back from the dead through their undying hatred of dragonkind. Those undead dragon slayers created by necromantic rites must obey the spellcasters who ushered them into unlife.
These undead are at least as intelligent and powerful as they were in life and have additional supernatural powers tuned to slaughtering dragons. Killing dragons gives an undead dragon slayer the energy to maintain its unnatural existence, and they fall back into death if this energy runs out (as detailed in their Draconic Slaughter).
Undead dragon slayers tend to hunt in well-coordinated teams with other undead, the better to overcome their powerful dragon prey. As well as other undead dragon slayers, they often fight alongside skeletal warriors; often the reanimated "lesser heroes" of a dragon-fighting cult. Ironically, they also associate with undead dragons, as their lust to kill only applies to living dragons. Some undead dragon slayers derive perverse amusement from turning a dragon they have slain into a dracolich or zombie and using this undead slave to slay that dragon's kin.
A typical undead dragon slayer stands 6 to 7 feet tall and weighs about 250 pounds. They can speak whatever languages they knew in life, which usually includes Common and Draconic.
Creating an Undead Dragon Slayer
“Undead Dragon Slayer” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) that has a base attack bonus of +9 or higher or a caster level of 9th or higher.
An undead dragon slayer has all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.
Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.
Armor Class: An undead dragon slayer has a +6 natural armor bonus or the base creature’s natural armor bonus, whichever is better.
Special Attacks: An undead dragon slayer retains the base creature's special attacks and gains those described below. Save DCs are equal to 10 + 1/2 undead dragon slayer's HD + undead dragon slayer's Cha modifier unless otherwise noted.
Anti-Dragon Casting (Ex): Undead dragon slayers gain a bonus equal to half their favored enemy bonus on caster level checks to overcome the spell resistance of dragons (this does not stack with other bonuses, such as from Spell Penetration) as well as the effects of Spell Focus for all spells cast against dragons. At caster level 17th, an undead dragon slayer also gains the effects of Greater Spell Focus for all spells cast against dragons.
Favored Enemy (Dragon) (Ex): Undead dragon slayers have dragons as favored enemies, as per the ranger class ability. The bonus is equal to the maximum bonus achieved by a ranger of the dragon slayer's HD. An undead dragon slayer's favored enemy (dragon) ability does not stack with any other favored enemy ability.
Weapon Throwing (Ex): Undead dragon slayers can throw any melee weapon or throwing weapon at a dragon as a standard action. The attack does not take any penalties for being an improvised weapon but instead gains a +1 racial attack bonus.
Special Qualities: An undead dragon slayer retains all the base creature’s special qualities and gains those described below.
Breath Evasion (Ex): The undead dragon slayer gains evasion (as the rogue class feature) against breath weapons. If the slayer has evasion from another source, its breath evasion becomes improved evasion against breath weapons.
Damage Reduction (Su): An undead dragon slayer gains damage reduction 5/-.
Draconic Slaughter (Su): Undead dragon slayers must kill dragons to maintain their existence. Slaying a dragon will sustain an undead dragon slayer for one week per Hit Die the dragon possesses. This duration stacks, up to a maximum of one year per character level the undead dragon slayer possesses. To "feed" off a dragon's dying life force, an undead dragon slayer must strike a dragon with an attack in the same round as the dragon dies. If multiple undead dragon slayers all strike the dragon in the same round it dies, the duration of Draconic Slaughter is shared between them.
If the duration of draconic slaughter run out, the undead dragon slayer must succeed at a DC 15 Will save or be immediately destroyed. The save must be repeated each day, with the DC increasing by +1 for each previous success, until the undead dragon slayer kills a dragon or is destroyed.
Dragon Defense (Ex): Undead dragon slayers gain a +2 dodge bonus to AC and a +1 bonus to Reflex saves against attacks made by dragons.
Immunity to Turning and Rebuking (Ex): An undead dragon slayer cannot be turned, rebuked, commanded, or destroyed by the turn/rebuke undead class feature.
Spell Resistance (Ex): An undead dragon slayer has spell resistance equal to its HD + 13.
Unholy Toughness (Ex): An undead dragon slayer gains a bonus to its hit points equal to its Charisma modifier × its Hit Dice.
Additional Special Abilities
An undead dragon slayer may select from the following special abilities. It gains one special ability per two points of BAB or caster level (whichever is higher), rounded down.
Anti-Dragon Evocation (Sp): 3 times per day, an undead dragon slayer may alter any evocation spell they cast so that it does an extra 50% of force damage against dragons. For example, a caster level 10 fireball does 10d6 hp of fire damage, plus an additional 5d6 points of force damage to dragons. Anti-dragon force damage stacks with Metamagic feats that increase a spell's damage: e.g. a CL 12 Empowered flame strike would do (12d6 increased by 50%) fire damage, plus an additional 9d6 force damage to dragons.
Bind Wings (Su): Once per day, an undead dragon slayer may spend a standard action to make a single attack imbued with the ability to bind a dragon's wings. If the attack hits a creature with the dragon subtype, bands of force wrap around the dragon, preventing flight for 1d6 rounds. If the dragon is in flight at the time that this ability takes effect, the dragon falls immediately, taking falling damage (unless prevented by a feather fall spell or similar ability). The bands of force are immune to damage and cannot be burst by Strength checks, but they can be destroyed by any effect that can destroy a wall of force. A bound dragon may escape with a successful Escape Artist check (DC equals 10 + undead dragon slayer's HD + undead dragon slayer's Cha modifier).
Dazzling Display (Su): As a standard action or part of a full attack action, an undead dragon slayer may make a series of complicated motions with its weapons which befuddles any dragon that sees it. Any dragon within 120 feet that can see the slayer must make a Fortitude save or become dazzled for 1d6 rounds. In addition, the dragon must make a Concentration check to cast any spell, use a spell-like ability, or maintain a spell that requires Concentration (DC equals 10 + undead dragon slayer's HD + undead dragon slayer's Cha modifier). If the dazzling display is part of a full attack action, all attacks take a -2 attack penalty.
Enchant Dragon (Sp): 3/day an undead dragon slayer can alter an Enchantment spell that usually has no effect on dragons, such as charm person, so it will affect dragons as if they were the type of creature the spell is most effective against.
Enhanced Breath Evasion (Ex): The undead dragon slayer gains improved evasion (as the rogue class feature) against breath weapons.
Scry Dragon (Sp): 3 times per day, the Undead Dragon Slayer can modify any divination spell so it is especially effective against dragons. The spell gains a +1 bonus on caster level checks to overcome a dragon's spell resistance and its range increases by 100%. These adjustments stack with spell augmentations from other sources, such as the Spell Penetration or Enlarge Spell metamagic feats.
A spell modified by scry dragon is only capable of detecting dragons. Thus a modified detect evil spell is able to detect evil dragons to a 120 ft. range, but cannot detect evil creatures that are not dragons. Scry Dragon can only modify divination spells that are capable of detecting dragons or phenomena of a draconic nature. It could not modify locate object (since dragons are not objects), but could modify detect undead or detect thought (to detect an undead dragon or a dragon's thoughts).
Smite Dragon (Su): Once per day, an undead dragon slayer may attempt to smite a dragon with one normal melee attack. The slayer adds its Charisma bonus (if any) to its attack roll and deals 1 extra point of damage per HD. If the undead dragon slayer accidentally smites a non-dragon, the smite has no effect, but the ability is still used up for that day.
Stifle Breath (Su): Once per day, an undead dragon slayer may spend a standard action to make a single attack with the ability to disable a dragon's breath weapon. If this attack hits a creature with the dragon subtype, it prevents the dragon using any breath weapon it has for 1d6 rounds. The effects of stifle breath can be cancelled by any power that removes exhaustion.
Transmute Dragon (Sp): As Enchant Dragon (see above), except it alters a Transmutation spell, such as reduce person, so it affect dragons.
True Strike (Sp): The undead dragon slayer may use true strike once per day as a move action on any attack against a dragon.
Improved Additional Special Abilities
The undead dragon slayer may choose the following special abilities if it has a BAB of at least +12 or a caster level of at least 12th. To choose an improved ability, the undead dragon slayer must already possess the corresponding special ability given above.
Improved Anti-Dragon Evocation (Sp): The undead dragon slayer's Anti-Dragon Evocation does +100% extra force damage instead of +50%.
Improved Dazzling Display (Su): The undead dragon slayer may make a dazzling display as part of a standard attack action or a full attack action, and the dazzling display DC gains a +2 enhancement bonus (see Dazzling Display above). To select this special ability, the undead dragon slayer must already have the Dazzling Display special attack.
Improved Dragon Defense (Ex): The undead dragon slayer gains an additional +2 dodge bonus to AC and a +1 bonus to Reflex saves against attacks made by dragons, which stacks with Dragon Defense.
Improved Enchant Dragon (Sp): When the undead dragon slayer uses its Enchant Dragon ability the Enchantment spell gains a +1 bonus to DC and a +1 bonus on caster level checks to overcome a dragon's spell resistance.
Improved Scry Dragon (Sp): When the undead dragon slayer uses its Scry Dragon ability the Divination spell has a +2 bonus on caster level checks to overcome a dragon's spell resistance and its range increases by 200% (this includes the bonuses from Scry Dragon).
Improved Transmute Dragon (Sp): As Improved Enchant Dragon (see above), except it alters a Transmutation spell.
Improved Weapon Throwing (Ex): The undead dragon slayer can throw any melee weapon or throwing weapon at a dragon as a standard action. The attack does not take any penalties for being an improvised weapon but instead gains a +4 racial attack bonus and does additional damage equal to 1d6 plus 1d6 per 2 HD of the undead dragon slayer. The attack bonus does not stack with that gained from the Weapon Throwing ability.
Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. Being undead, an undead dragon slayer has no Constitution score.
Environment: Any, usually same as base creature
Organization: Solitary, hunt (2-4), company (1-4 plus 1-8 skeleton warriors), flight (1-4 plus 1 dracolich), or squadron (2-4 plus 1 dracolich and 2-12 skeleton warriors and 1-6 young adult red dragon skeletons or zombie wyverns)
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1.
Treasure: Standard (including possessions appropriate for its character level).
Alignment: Any nongood.
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +4.
SAMPLE CREATURE
Human Undead Dragon Slayer Ranger 2/Ex-Paladin 3/Blackguard 8
Undead (augmented humanoid)
Hit Dice: 13d12+78 (162 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares, base speed 30 ft.)
Armor Class: 22 (+10 +2 mithral full plate, +1 Dex, +1 deflection), touch 12, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+18
Attack: +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword +20 melee (2d6+8/17-20) or +1 composite longbow (+5 Str) +15 ranged (1d8+6/×3)
Full Attack: +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword +20/+15/+10 melee (2d6+8/17-20) or +1 composite longbow (+5 Str) +15/+10/+5 ranged (1d8+6/×3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: anti-dragon casting, bind wings, command undead, dazzling display, favored enemy (dragon), favored enemy (magical beast), improved weapon throwing, smite dragon, smite good 3/day, sneak attack +2d6, spells, true strike, weapon throwing
Special Qualities: aura of despair, aura of evil, breath evasion, damage reduction 5/-, dark blessing, detect good, draconic slaughter, dragon defense, enhanced breath evasion, fiendish servant (heavy warhorse), immunity to turning and rebuking, lay on hands, poison use, spell resistance 26, unholy toughness, wild empathy
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +14, Will +12
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 12, Con -, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 22
Skills: Concentration +16, Knowledge (religion) +7, Handle Animal +13, Heal +9, Hide +4* (+6 without armor penalty), Listen +13 (+19 vs dragons), Ride +19, Spot +13 (+19 vs dragons), Survival +5 (+11 tracking dragons)
Feats: Cleave, Improved Critical (greatsword), Improved Sunder, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Track(B), Two-Weapon Fighting(B), Weapon Focus (greatsword)
Environment: Any, usually same as base creature
Organization: Solitary, hunt (2-4), company (1-4 plus 1-8 skeleton warriors), flight (1-4 plus 1 dracolich), or squadron (2-4 plus 1 dracolich and 2-12 skeleton warriors and 1-6 young adult red dragon skeletons or zombie wyverns)
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: Standard (see possessions)
Alignment: Any evil
Advancement: by character class
Level Adjustment: +4
CHANGES WHEN FIGHTING A DRAGON
Armor Class: 24 (+10 +2 mithral full plate, +1 Dex, +1 deflection, +2 dodge), touch 14, flat-footed 21
Attack: +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword +22 melee (4d6+16/17-20) or +1 composite longbow (+5 Str) +15 ranged (1d8+12/×3)
Full Attack: +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword +22/+17/+12 melee (4d6+16/17-20) or +1 composite longbow (+5 Str) +15/+10/+5 ranged (1d8+12/×3) or +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword +22 ranged (11d6+13/17-20)
Saves: Fort +19, Ref +15, Will +12
The undead dragon slayer presented here is a former human with the following base ability scores: Str 16, Dex 8, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 16.
COMBAT
Given time to prepare for battle with a dragon, this undead dragon slayer enhances its combat abilities with its spells, starting with freedom of movement and protection from energy. The undead dragon slayer opens combat with a bind wings attack against a single dragon but begins with a dazzling display when fighting multiple dragons. During combat, it uses its sneak attack whenever possible and its smite dragon and true strike abilities opportunistically. If a moderately weakened dragon attempts escape, the undead dragon slayer will throw its greatsword as a way to finish the dragon off. It typically uses its boots of speed early in combat, especially against particularly tough or multiple foes.
Spells 3/2/1/1 (save DC 12 plus spell level)
4th—freedom of movement
3rd—protection from energy
2nd—bull's strength, inflict moderate wounds
1st—cause fear, corrupt weapon, inflict light wounds
Equipment: +2 mithral full plate, +1 adamantine dragon bane greatsword, +1 composite longbow (+5 Str), 40 cold iron arrows, 30 silver arrows, 10 adamantine arrows, boots of speed, ring of protection +1, cloak of resistance +1, wand of inflict light wounds, 134 gp
Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #205 (1994).
Last edited:
Cleon
Legend
That's just a copy of Shade's homebrew draft.
I think we werearguingdiscussing how to set the DCs for dragons to resist these abilities.
I thought we'd decided to use HD plus Cha with an additional flat bonus.
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
We'd decided that for bind wings, but we were still working that out for everything else. I'd probably prefer a flat DC for some of them; however, in the interest of getting this started again, I'll yield.
We seem to have agreed on 3/day usage for the evocation and scrying. I'd suggested 120 ft, 1d6 rounds for Dazzling Display. Thoughts?
We seem to have agreed on 3/day usage for the evocation and scrying. I'd suggested 120 ft, 1d6 rounds for Dazzling Display. Thoughts?
Cleon
Legend
Which ones do you prefer a flat DC for? I think they all look like level/HD dependent DCs.
I think that's OK.
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
No, I see your point about the nonstandard 10+HD+ability modifier. The exception-based design just gives me the willies.
OK, I will update that DC for dazzling display along with the per day usage and range, etc, for dazzling display (also) soon. Before, though, are we agreed to add unholy toughness and DR as in red? Any suggestions for DR? Maybe 10/- but not have its weapons count as anything in particular?
OK, I will update that DC for dazzling display along with the per day usage and range, etc, for dazzling display (also) soon. Before, though, are we agreed to add unholy toughness and DR as in red? Any suggestions for DR? Maybe 10/- but not have its weapons count as anything in particular?
Cleon
Legend
If we're giving them non-standard DCs we might as well use the same approach for all of them. It'll give our exception-based design fewer exceptions.
DR 10/-- seems a bit high, but I guess they need a good DC to be of any use against a dragon. Unless you want them to have a higher DC against dragons?
freyar
Extradimensional Explorer
Yes, I agree we might as well take the same approach everywhere.
I don't like the idea of DR depending on the type of critter that attacks it. Just seems weird (and contrary to the spirit of DR). We could go DR 5/- if you prefer.
Do you agree to Unholy Toughness?
I don't like the idea of DR depending on the type of critter that attacks it. Just seems weird (and contrary to the spirit of DR). We could go DR 5/- if you prefer.
Do you agree to Unholy Toughness?
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