Tuesday, January 13, 2015

Fury

Blending the divine powers of a paladin with the untrammeled wrath of the barbarian, the fury is the power of chaos and change incarnate. Those paladins of freedom who walk this path are tremendous forces of good and progress, while those paladins of slaughter who become furies are genocidal agents of destruction.

Requirements
To qualify to become a fury, a character must fulfill all of the following criteria.
    Base Attack Bonus: +6.
    Skills: Knowledge (religion) 8 ranks, Survival 5 ranks.
    Feat: Power Attack, and Sacred Vow (if good) or Willing Deformity (if evil).
    Alignment: Chaotic good or chaotic evil.
    Special: Smite good or smite evil, ability to rage.


Hit Die: d10.
Base Attack Bonus: Good.
Good Saves: Fortitude, Reflex.
Poor Saves: Will.
Class Skills
The fury's class skills (and the key ability for each skill) are Balance (Dex), Climb (Str), Concentration (Con), Craft (Int), Diplomacy (Cha), Handle Animal (Cha), Heal (Wis), Intimidate (Cha), Jump (Str), Knowledge (nobility and royalty) (Int), Knowledge (religion) (Int), Listen (Wis), Profession (Wis), Ride (Dex), Sense Motive (Wis), Spot (Wis), Swim (Str), and Tumble (Dex).
    Skill Points at Each Level: 4 + Int modifier.

Special Abilities by Level
  1.  Healing factor, fury of the righteous/wicked I, class abilities
  2. Mettle, mighty blows
  3. Fury never sleeps, bonus feat
  4. Fury of the righteous/wicked II
  5. Smite good or evil +1/day
  6. Bonus feat
  7. Divine wrath
  8. Fury of the righteous/wicked III
  9. Bonus feat
  10. Smite good or evil +1/day
Class Features
All of the following are class features of the fury prestige class.
    Weapon and Armor Proficiencies: The fury gains no weapon or armor proficiencies.

    Class Abilities: The fury's levels stack with paladin levels for determining his smite (and times per day), the efficacy of his lay on hands (if good) or damaging touch (if evil), and his mount's abilities.
    The fury's levels stack with barbarian levels for determining his uncanny dodge and improved uncanny dodge (including level needed to successfully sneak attack him and when the fury gains improved uncanny dodge). A shield and up to medium armor no longer restrict the barbarian's abilities, and he may continue to use his paladin abilities (to include spellcasting) while in a rage. The fury's mount, if he has one, shares his rage and fast movement while the fury is mounted.
    The fury's levels of fury, barbarian, and paladin stack for determining the number of times he may rage per day, ability to turn/rebuke undead, and his spellcasting capability (provided the paladin is at least 4th level). Thus, a 4th-level paladin/ 3rd-level monk/ 2nd-level fury with a Charisma of 14 has the spellcasting capability of a 9th-level paladin and rages as a 9th-level barbarian (and thus rages 3/day).

    Healing Factor (Su): Whenever he enters into a rage, the fury regains a number of hit points equal to his Charisma bonus multiplied by his fury class level (to a minimum of 1 point per fury level). Thus, a 4th-level fury with a Charisma of 18 would recover 16 points of damage by entering a rage.

    Fury of the Righteous/Wicked (Su): While in a rage, the fury generates an aura depending on his alignment.
    A good-aligned fury serves as an inspiration to his allies, exhorting them on to greater effort both verbally and by example. All allies within 30 feet of the fury who can see and hear him (including the fury himself) gain a +1 morale bonus on attack and damage rolls and a +1 morale bonus on saves against fear. At 4th level this bonus increases to +2, and at 8th level this bonus increases to +3. This is a mind-affecting effect. Abilities which affect and modify a bard's inspire courage ability affect this ability.
    An evil fury, on the other hand, frightens his foes and weakens their morale. All foes within 30 feet of the fury who can see and hear him take a -1 morale penalty to attack and damage rolls and a -1 penalty on saves against fear. At 4th level this penalty increases to -2, and at 8th level it increases to -3. This is a mind-affecting, fear-based effect.

    Mettle: A 2nd-level fury can resist magical and unusual attacks with great willpower or fortitude. 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 save with a saving throw entry of Will half or Fortitude partial), he instead completely negates the effect. An unconscious or sleeping fury does not gain the benefit of mettle.

    Mighty Blows (Su): A fury of 2nd-level and higher adds his Charisma bonus (minimum +0) to damage rolls whenever he uses his Power Attack feat or while in a rage.

    Fury Never Sleeps (Ex): A fury of 3rd level or higher is immune to magical and mundane sleep effects, and needs but four hours of rest (as an elf) rather than eight hours of sleep to recuperate at night; while resting, he takes no penalties to Listen or initiative checks. A fury still requires eight hours of rest to recover spells.

    Bonus Feat: The fury gains a bonus feat at 3rd, 6th, and 9th levels. If the fury is good-aligned, it is a bonus exalted feat. If the fury is evil, it is a bonus vile feat. Alternatively, it may be any feat found on the fighter's list of bonus feats. The fury must meet the prerequisites for this feat.

    Smite (Su): At 5th and again at 10th level, the fury gains another daily use of his smite ability as appropriate for a paladin of his alignment.

    Divine Wrath (Sp): A 7th-level fury is able to use divine power as a spell-like ability by expending one of his daily turn/rebuke undead uses, and he enjoys the benefits of an unholy aura (if evil) or holy aura (if good) while the divine power is active. Being in a rage does not hinder the fury from employing this ability. The caster level is equal to the character's paladin caster level (one-half the total of her paladin and fury levels), minimum 7th.

Thursday, January 1, 2015

Greater Medusa



Greater Medusa
Huge (-2) monstrous humanoid
Init: +5; Senses: Darkvision, +8 Spot.
Languages: Any two.
- - -
Armor Class: 15 (-2 size, +3 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 12; Damage Reduction: none
Saving Throws: Fort +9, Ref +11, Will +5
Hit Points: 66 (12d8+12 Hit Dice)
- - -
Speed: 30 feet, climb 20 feet, swim 20 feet.
Base Attack Bonus: +12; Grapple: +27
Attack: Composite shortbow (+7) +15 ranged (2d6+7/x3) or claw +19 melee (1d8+7) or snakes +19 melee (1d8+3 plus poison) or tail sweep +19 melee (1d8+10) or tail slap +19 melee (2d6+10) or stinger +19 melee (1d8+7 plus poison)
Full Attack: Composite shortbow +15/+10/+5 ranged (2d6+7/x3) or 4 claws +19 melee (1d8+7) and snakes +14 melee (1d8+3 plus poison) and tail slap +14 melee (2d6+10) or 4 claws +19 melee (1d8+7) and snakes +14 melee (1d8+3 plus poison) and stinger +14 melee (1d8+7 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 15-ft./10-ft.
Special Attacks: Animate victims, constrict 2d6+10, improved grab, petrifying gaze, poison, spells.
Special Qualities: Darkvision.
- - -
Abilities: Str 25, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15
Feats: Cleave, Combat Casting, Point Blank Shot, Power Attack, Precise Shot; Proficiencies (Simple and martial weapons).
Skills: Bluff +9 (7 ranks), Diplomacy +9 (7 ranks), Disguise +8 (6 ranks), Intimidate +9 (7 ranks), Move Silently +9 (6 ranks), Spot +7 (6 ranks).
Possessions: Composite shortbow (+7), 20 arrows.
- - -
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Double standard.
Environment: Temperate marshes.
Activity Cycle: Nocturnal.
Organization: Solitary or covey (1 plus 0-3 medusas and 2-8 animated victims).
Advancement: By character class.
Alignment: Usually lawful evil.
Level Adjustment: -

A greater medusa is a larger, more powerful version of the common medusa. They are mutations that arise from medusae who attract the special attentions of a powerful fiend, elder dragon, or titan. The medusa retreats into her lair where she undergoes a gradual, painful metamorphosis over the course of eighteen months. Afterwards she emerges a monstrous, cursed creature quite removed from her once-beautiful form. The greater medusa has the head and torso of a beautiful, shapely woman twice the size of a human with four arms and snakes for hair. Her forearms swell with unnatural muscles, her hands twisted into saurian talons. Her legs merged together into a serpentine tail tipped with a venomous stinger. While her torso, upper arms, and face have smooth, milky-white skin, the rest of her body is covered in thick, ridged scales in greens and browns. The greater medusa develops sorcerous powers in this transformation, and with them the ability to animate her petrified victims.
Occasionally, a greater medusa will gather with a group of common medusas into a covey. They are typically sisters, products of the same curse, and together they work towards nefarious goals. Rumors have it that greater medusas know how to replicate the curse that creates medusas, and that such coveys will do so to captured human women of exceptional beauty.
A greater medusa stands around nine to fifteen feet tall, with a body that stretches out to thirty feet in length. She weighs around three or four tons.

Combat
A greater medusa prefers to strike from ambush to get targets into close range where their petrifying gaze and powerful bodies can come into play. Options include stealth and clever use of their alternate forms. They typically use their spells for either pre-battle buffs, de-buffing the enemy, or ranged attacks when melee fighting isn't appropriate. A typical greater medusa enters battle with mage armor, shield, protection from arrows, stoneskin, bull's strength, and fire shield activated (fire shield last as it has the shortest duration), increasing her AC to 23, +2 to melee attacks and damage, giving her DR 10/adamantine (soak 90 points), DR 10/magic (soak 90 points) against ranged weapons, and dealing an additional 1d6+9 damage (either cold or fire) to anyone making a melee attack or in a grapple with her. A greater medusa prefers to neutralize casters and rogues first by using her gaze attack, tripping and constricting opponents who survive. As a natural attack is still available in a grapple, the greater medusa often finds herself at a significant advantage when she brings her claws and rending ability into play against a constricted foe. Some rare greater medusas utilize a magic weapon in place of a claw attack, but most lack such equipment. They prize such items as amulets of mighty fists which augment their plethora of natural attacks.
The greater medusa's tail sweep attack affects a 15-foot semi-circle, attacking all targets within that range.
     Monstrous Humanoid: As a monstrous humanoid, a greater medusa has darkvision. She is also proficient with Basic weapons and Bows. (Simple weapons and all bows for standard proficiencies. No armor.)
     Alternate Form (Su): A greater medusa may assume the form of an attractive human woman, a giant constrictor snake, or a Medium viper.
     Animate Victims (Sp): A greater medusa animates her petrified victims as a free action requiring 10 mp. Treat these poor souls as animated objects made of stone (hardness 8). Animated victims are under the greater medusa's command, but if commanded to do something strongly against the victim's moral code the victim is allowed a Will save DC 18 to resist the command. Even if successful, the victim is still a mindless statue under the greater medusa's power; it simply doesn't have to follow the hateful order.
     Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a greater medusa deals 2d6+10 points of damage. A constricted opponent begins to suffocate.
     Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a greater medusa must succeed on a tail slap attack. She can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If she wins the grapple check, she establishes a hold and can constrict.
     Petrifying Gaze (Su): Turn to stone permanently, 30 feet, Fortitude DC 18 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based.
     Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial damage 1d6 Str, secondary damage 2d6 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based. Any character reduced to 0 Strength by this poison must make another Fortitude save (same DC) or be turned to stone.
     Rend (Ex): A greater medusa who succeeds on two claw attacks latches onto the opponent's body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 2d8+10 points of damage.
     Spells: A greater medusa casts spells as a sorcerer of a level equal to her Hit Dice.
Spells Per Day: 6 0-level, 7 1st-level, 7 2nd-level, 6 3rd-level, 4 4th-level. Save DC 12 + spell level.
Typical Spells Known: 0- daze, detect poison, detect magic, ghost sound, mage hand, message, ray of frost, touch of fatigue; 1st- alarm, mage armor, magic missile, obscuring mist, shield; 2nd- bull's strength, protection from arrows, resist energy, hideous laughter; 3rd- dispel magic, fly, hold person; 4th- fire shield, stoneskin.
     Trip (Ex): A greater medusa who strikes an opponent with a tail sweep can attempt to trip the opponent (+7 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the greater medusa.