Monster Snippet: Arbor Elemental
almost 5 years ago – Thu, Dec 05, 2019 at 05:34:54 AM

Description: An incarnation of the very essence of the forest, an Arbor Elemental is a living, breathing embodiment of nature and trees.  They appear as groups of trees, though in a particular moment, they may shift shape to appear as a single tree or several.  They may also change shape in the nature of the trees they emulate, usually to blend in with the ordinary trees they are next to.

1. Aura: Arborial Potency: Within 40' of an Arbor Elemental, all spells and effects with the Earth descriptor manifest with extra potency.  Such magic benefits from +1 to their DC, and those that inflict damage gain +1 point of damage per die (so for example, a spell which normally inflicts 2d6+3 damage would instead inflict 2d6+5 damage within this aura).  In addition, when a spell is cast that involves, targets, or affects plants or trees (e.g., tree stride, liveoak; the determination is left to the GM as to what qualifies), there is a 20% chance that the spell will not be "lost" or otherwise consumed, and that the caster may attempt to cast it again.  This spell-retention benefit has no effect for innate spell-like abilities that have no daily or otherwise periodic limit, but does apply to spell-like abilities with such a limit: for example, a creature able to cast plant growth 3x/day, who casts it within this aura, and succeeds at the 20% chance to retain it, can still cast plant growth 3 more times that day.
   

Lore

1. Common: The very essence of the forest can become enraged and seek vengeance against intruders.
   
2. Expanded: Arbor elementals are powerful, treant-like creatures who defend forests and jungles.  Natural magics can grow in power in their presence.
   

Environment: Arbor elementals may appear in forests or jungles, though always amidst thick growths of trees.

Encounter Behavior

1. Combat: Arbor elementals will usually remain still, blending in with its non-sentient neighbors until threatened or until it can strike intruders.  It will consider any creatures who destroy plant life in any manner to be intruders, and will try to kill them or run them off.  Arbor elementals will fight to the death any threats that remain among the trees, but will relent if its opponents flee outside of the forest or jungle in which they operate.
   

Story Hooks

1. A nearby forest has been killing farmers, ingredient harvesters, and adventurers.  The exact source of the killings is unknown, however; the local village has asked the party's assistance in investigating.
   
2. The party is venturing in a forest or jungle, and is forced to destroy a plant-based enemy.  A nearby Arbor Elemental takes notice, and attacks.
   

Actions & SQ

1. Tree Blend: This creature may always Take 20 in Stealth or Disguise checks to appear as a normal tree or group thereof in the area.  It may not benefit from Tree Blend against targets that are aware of its presence as a hostile life form; that is, if it has already been detected or has attacked.
2. Rootstrike: As a full-round action, the Arbor Elemental may make one attack against each enemy within a 20' radius, sending spiked roots shooting up from the ground underneath its foes.  Creatures in flight, or hovering at least 10' off of the ground, are immune to these attacks.  These count as melee strikes despite the fact that they are at range.
   

Final Day! Monster Snippets: Arbor Ooze, Ashenlass
almost 5 years ago – Tue, Dec 03, 2019 at 08:10:59 PM

Final Day

One more day to go!  This campaign has already been hugely successful, and I'm very grateful to you all for your support and enthusiasm.  

Here are two more monster snippets... :)

Arbor Ooze

Description: Appearing as a thick sludge of flowers, moss, or iridescent grass, this ooze flows and threshes amongst the vegetation of the forest floor, and is often indistinguishable from it.

1. Aura: Arbor Haze: Within 20', creatures suffer a -2 circumstance penalty to Perception checks.

Lore

1. Common: Beware some patches of moss in the forest floor, as they may be creatures ready to strike!
   
2. Expanded: Arbor oozes lie in wait on the forest floor, appearing as moss or grass but ready to dissolve organic life that steps upon it unaware.

Environment: Arbor oozes are common on forest floors, but may also appear in jungles, swamps, or even grassland plains.

Encounter Behavior: Combat: Arbor oozes will lie in wait, and their preferred method of attack is for a creature to simply step upon them.  A creature that steps upon an Arbor Ooze immediately suffers a melee strike that hits automatically.

Story Hooks:

1. Ingredient harvesters have been returning from a nearby forest, claiming to have seen animals dissolve painfully into moss or grass that otherwise appears normal.
   
2. The PCs are wandering the woods, when one of them steps onto a hidden Arbor Ooze.

Actions & SQ

1. Forest Floor Trap: Any creature which steps upon an Arbor Ooze unaware automatically suffers a successful critical strike from the ooze.
   
2. Virulent Slime: An Arbor Ooze inflicts an additional 2d4 acid damage on a successful critical strike.
   
3. Plant Blend: This creature may always Take 20 in Stealth or Disguise checks to appear as normal forest-floor foliage in the area.  It may not benefit from Plant Blend against targets that are aware of its presence as a hostile life form; that is, if it has already been detected or has attacked.

Ashenlass

1. Description: An Ashenlass appears as a floating, haunted, gaunt, and ashen woman of indeterminate age and ancestry.  Her hair and clothing are mutable in appearance, and can often oscillate as an observer watches.
   
2. Aura: Dread Aura: Within 30', creatures suffer a -2 profane penalty on saves and attack rolls.  Against fear effects, this penalty is instead -4.  Any creature may spend a standard action to attempt to overcome the effect; this requires a DC 18 Will save and lasts the remainder of the encounter if successful.

Lore

1. Common: Ash-colored, floating, undead women are capable of dread powers.
   
2. Expanded: An Ashenlass is a powerful undead capable of reducing formidable warriors to piles of ash.
   

Environment: An Ashenlass typically haunts a battlefield, mass gravesite, or other area of significant devastation, death, or decay.  They venture far and wide, however, so can be encountered virtually anywhere, though they return to their place of haunting after a while.

1. Encounter Behavior: Combat: An Ashenlesss hates all living creatures, and will attack them to the death once perceived.
   

Story Hooks

1. Dozens have made pilgrimage to a site of a holy war, only to discover dread undead forces defending it.  The PCs are asked to investigate the cause.
   
2. The PCs (perhaps led by a cleric or paladin associated with the site) make their own pilgrimage to a site of a large battle, either as part of a holy visit, or in the hopes of discovering loot.  An Ashenlass attacks them.
   

Actions & SQ

1. Ashen Touch: A successful full-round melee touch attack at +6 will prompt a living victim to make a DC 18 Fortitude save, or suffer 1d2 Cha damage.  A creature reduced to 0 Cha or less via this effect dies immediately, and turns into a pile of whitish-grey ash.  Only a true resurrection, wish, or miracle spell, or similarly powerful magic, can recover the soul and body of a creature destroyed in this manner.
   

Monster Snippet: Acid Elemental
almost 5 years ago – Sat, Nov 23, 2019 at 08:10:26 PM

I'll be busy much of the rest of the day, so I'm posting today's Monster Snippet very early.  Enjoy!  :)

Acid Elemental

Auras: 

1. Acidic Mist: 15', Creatures in the aura take 1d6 acid damage per round; DC 14 Fortitude save to halve damage.
   

Lore

1. Common: Typically born of alchemical accident, Acid Elementals may be found in laboratories or dungeons.
   
2. Expanded: Acid Elementals are either created on purpose as guards or warriors, or by accident, via alchemical mistake.  In both cases, they are loyal to their creators.
   

Environment: Alchemical laboratories, dungeons, or lairs; Acid Elementals rarely wander (or are told to wander) far from their place of creation.

Encounter Behavior

1. Combat: On their own, Acid Elementals will attack any creature they become aware of who is not their master, fighting to the death.  Under the direction of their master, they will attack or not in response to explicit verbal direction.
   

Story Hooks

1. Rival apothecaries in town have been destroyed, one after the other.  Burnt and corroded equipment and buildings are all that remain.  Can the PCs investigate?
   
2. Neighbors of a nearby potion laboratory have complained of an acrid smell that burns the nostrils, far beyond what they are typically used to in this proximity.
   

Actions & SQ

1. Acid Blast: Treat this as a breath weapon in the shape of a cone, with a range of 30'.  A DC 16 Reflex save halves the 2d8 acid damage.
   
2. Corrode: Against anything more vulnerable than stone or metal, the Acid Elemental can pour itself onto a surface or item and attempt to dissolve it.  This takes 1 round per full 2.5' of substance.
   

Monster Snippet: The Accursed
almost 5 years ago – Sat, Nov 23, 2019 at 08:06:06 PM

As promised, each day for the remainder of the campaign, I'll post a preview snippet of a new monster's description.  As a reminder, terminology defaults to Pathfinder 1E, and numerics refer to the 1L Low quad.

Hope you enjoy!

The Accursed

1. Description: Accursed are humanoids of all flavors who are fallen from their normal race, typically due to an occult procedure or evil ritual gone terribly wrong.  They are cursed, doomed, and their flesh has begun to rot, but they are not truly dead, and therefore not truly undead either.
   
2. Auras: Accursed Aura: 30'.  Those affected are aware of a dread, doomed presence in the vicinity of the Accursed, who takes a -4 penalty on Stealth, Bluff, and Sleight of Hand checks due to their notable existence.  Those seeking to target the Accursed with an attack or other effect take a -1 penalty to do so if they are within this range, as their natural inclination will be to avoid the creature altogether.
   
3. Lore: Common: There are those who are doomed to walk the earth in a fateful trance, not quite dead, but not quite fully alive either.
   
   1. Lore: Expanded: Accursed are humanoids, fallen from the normal features of their race, warped from an evil ritual gone astray.  They seek the living to enact their hateful revenge.
      
4. Environment: Accursed are drawn to wherever there are living creatures.  They frequent ruins, urban settings, and rural farmlands in their quest of hate.
   

Encounter Behavior

1. Combat: Accursed will seek out the nearest living creature and attack it until it is dead, and then repeat the tactic until they are out of living targets or they themselves are destroyed.  They will never flee a combat if they sense living creatures, but if such presence is hidden from them, they will lose interest and wander off in a random direction.
   

Story Hooks

1. Rural farms are "going dark" one after the other, with the farmers and their livestock sliced open from weapon or claw attacks.  Can the PCs prevent further destruction?
   
2. Dark tales tell of thieves in the night who stalk alleyways.  They seem to seek not the purses, but the very lives, of the living and breathing.
   

Actions & SQ

1. Lifehate: more life a target has, the greater the Accursed's hartred grows.  Against opponents with a higher Constitution than they have, Accursed gain a +1 competence bonus on attack and damage rolls, and on skill or ability checks related to that target.
   
2. Vengeful Vitality: An Accursed's vitality grows after felling a living creature.  Each time they drop an opponent to 0 or fewer hit points, they gain 1d8 hit points, and their maximum hit point value increases by this amount as well.
   

Monster Snippet: Abyssal Devourer
about 5 years ago – Wed, Nov 20, 2019 at 10:18:57 AM

I've gotten a lot of good feedback about the Bloodguise Diredamsel thus far.  Some folks have asked for other examples.

I'm happy to start sharing a few more examples... forgive the lack of formatting, as this is taken from my monster Evernote file that's the repository for all of the stuff that needs laying out.  

Note that in these descriptions, the language is written in the context of Pathfinder first edition, and any numerics provided apply to the 1L Low level of difficulty in the Quadded Statblocks approach of things.

Abyssal Devourer (aberration)

Auras

1. Voided Presence: 30', DC 14, failure means Shaken for duration of encounter; when one suffering makes a successful strike or successfully targets with a spell or effect, may attempt another check to overcome the effect.  Those who succeed in a check against the creature's Voided Presence are immune to it for the duration of the encounter.

Lore

1. Common: Creatures from the void roam the dark depths of mountains, seeking to slay anything living.
   
2. Expanded: Abyssal Devourers hate life, and can sense the presence of it.  Few detected by a Devourer live to tell the tale once they are discovered.
   
3. Environment: Tend to haunt the darkest, deepest regions of mountains, caverns, and even manmade structures such as dungeons and mines.
   
4. Encounter Behavior: Combat: The creature will move toward the closest living creature and attack it until it is destroyed.  It fights with a mindless hatred of all life and will never be routed unless forced to do so with magic or other effect that physically prevents it from attacking.
   

Story Hooks: 

1. Miners have been disappearing from the depths; the PCs are enlisted to seek out the cause.
   
2. Legend tells of a formidable opponent dwelling in the dark places under a nearby mountain; adventuring parties have sought it out, never to return.  Are the PCs up to the challenge of seeming certain doom?
   

Actions & SQ

1. Lifesense 120'
   
2. Void Soul: Once per encounter per opponent, following a successful melee strike, may attempt to attack the target's soul directly.  The victim must make a Fortitude save of DC equal to 12, plus 1 per point of damage the target suffered this round from the creature.  Success has no further effect; failure means the victim suffers 1 Negative Level.