Savage Tide Adventure Path Characters for Mystara

The Savage Tide AP is contained in twelve adventures and two campaign background articles within issues #139-#150 of Dungeon Magazine, plus an article series called Savage Tidings which appeared in issues #348-#359 of Dragon Magazine.

An adaptation of this adventure path for the Mystara campaign setting was published in two parts in Threshold Magazine. The first article detailing this conversion work is found in Threshold Magazine #4, and covered the first eight adventures as well as the Isle of Dread adventure found in Dungeon Magazine #114. The second article focused on the last nine adventures, particularly the adventures which occur on the Isle of Dread and the Outer Planes, and was published in Threshold Magazine #19. This article publishes some new NPCs for the campaign and revises some old NPCs that were published in the first two articles.

3.5 D&D statistics are provided to remain consistent with the adventures of the Savage Tide AP.

Dungeon Magazine #146

Adventure #8: Serpents of Scuttlecove

Crimson Fleet Pirate Captain

The Crimson Fleet Lemorian baldandar pirate captain first appeared in Threshold Magazine #4 page 139 to be used in the Final Battle of Farshore. If he survived against the PCs, this illusionist spellcaster can return as another adversary in the final confrontation with the Crimson Fleet pirates in this adventure. The baldandar, having advanced further as an illusionist, can be either another resident on The Wreck, or captaining a Crimson Fleet ship who returns to the Crimson Fleet home base with a troop of pirate reinforcements after the PCs have attacked the home base at least once.

If used in another campaign, this baldandar pirate captain will use his illusions to hide his ship along various shipping lanes waiting for an unguarded prize to venture along. He relies on contacts at various ports for tips on ship cargos and destinations. Authorities in several nations offer a substantial reward for his capture.

Full attack: 2 claws +14 (1d8+2) and Bite +12 (1d6+1 plus poison) and Tail Sting +12 (1d6+1 plus poison)

Feats Boost Spell-Like Ability^¹(confusion), Combat Casting, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Scribe Scroll, Silent Spell, Spell Focus(illusion), Weapon Finesse

Skills Bluff +13, Concentration +23, Diplomacy +11, Disguise +28, Escape Artist +10, Hide +15, Intimidate +12, Knowledge(arcana) +18, Listen +10, Profession(sailor) +17, Sense Motive +11, Spellcraft +24(+26 for illusions), Spot +10, Survival +7, Use Rope +5(+7 for bindings)

Possessions: wand of lightning (CL 6^th) (9 charges), wand of magic missile (CL 3^rd0 (12 charges), 2 potions of cure serious wounds

4^th level (DC 18) – crushing despair, dimension door, phantasmal killer (DC 19), rainbow pattern (DC 19)

3^rd level (DC 17) – displacement, dispel magic(x2), fireball, magic circle against good

2^nd level (DC 16) – blur, mirror image(x2), scorching ray, see invisibility, touch of idiocy

1^st level (DC 15) - charm person, color spray (DC 16), protection from good, magic missile, shield, shocking grasp

1/day - baleful polymorph (DC 20), confusion (DC 21), magic jar (DC 20), polymorph

1/day - dominate person (DC 20), fear (DC 19), suggestion (DC 18), mass charm monster (DC 23), mass suggestion (DC 21), unhallow

Illusion (Sp): At will and as a standard action, a baldandar can duplicate the effects of the Veil, Mirage Arcana, and Persistent Image spells. The illusions last as long as the baldandar concentrates, and for ten minutes after it stops concentrating. In all other respects, these effects are treated as if cast by a 15th level sorcerer

Poison (Ex): Any creature bitten by a baldandar must make a Fortitude save vs DC 14 (Con based) or fall unconscious for 10-40 minutes. If hit by its poisonous stinger a target must make a DC 18 Fortitude save or suffer the Wisdom damage explained in the adventure under the Lemorian entry.^²

Errata

Page 52-53 : The Leech’s special abilities Touch of Fear(Su) and Hypnosis(Sp) are Thrall of Demogorgon abilities which have a DC save based on both thrall class level AND Charisma bonus. So these two abilities have a DC 21 Will save and not the DC 16 Will save listed. If using the Dragon Magazine #357 update to the Thrall of Demogorgon prestige class, where the Will save table is upgraded from Poor to Good progression, the Leech’s Will save improves from +19 to +22.

Page 64 : For Captain Longshanks Le’Shiv and the other Lemorian pirate captains, the caster level for their spell-like abilities is 10^th level, not the 8^th level listed. Under Atk Options, add smite good 1/day (+10 damage). Also, their poison is a DC 18 Fortitude save, not DC 17.

Page 65 : Vzorthys, the fiendish eye of the deep has an Initiative of +4, not +5. The DC for the Baleful Flash should be 28, not 34. A baseline eye of the deep gets a DC 20 baseline for Baleful Flash and also uses the Ability Focus(Baleful Flash) feat for a standard DC 22 Fortitude save. Vzorthys has an additional +6 Constitution modifier above the standard eye of the deep, so his Baleful Flash is a DC 28 Fortitude save. His eye rays have a 18 (baseline) + 1 (Charisma increase) + 2 (Ability Focus(eye rays)) = DC 21 Reflex/Will save. His claw attacks should be +27 to hit. And his constriction damage when grappling to account for his larger size is 3d6+11 damage.

Page 69 : Should the Demogorgon statue explode, it states, “"All creatures in the room must make a DC 15 Reflex save or fall through the hole, plummeting 60 feet to the deck of the Fortitude below (area E1)."

The Anger is only 40 feet up the tree, while the Two-Faced Wretch is the ship that is 60 feet up. So this is not a sixty foot drop, the PCs are below deck on the Anger and if they fall to the deck of the Fortitude they are still above ground level. At most this is a twenty or thirty foot drop, so you can adjust falling damage accordingly.

Page 70 : Cold Captain Wyther’s attack entries without Power Attack is +25 to hit with his bastard sword, and +22 to hit with his dagger. So a 3 point Power Attack lowers his attack bonus to +22 and +19 respectively. His damage bonus for the bastard sword is correct, but his dagger with a 3 point Power Attack is 1d4+10 damage(as long as he is doing slashing and not piercing damage), and his tail sting attack would do 1d6+7 damage with a 3 point Power Attack. His poison is a DC 24 Fortitude save, not the 21 listed. Lastly, he is listed as having a cloak of protection +4 but the correct item is a cloak of resistance +4.

Page 73-74 : The yuan-ti anathema is a Huge creature wielding a falchion two-handed, so it does 3d6+13 damage per attack with the weapon. The text states that "A group of six Seventh Coil assassins stay here with their leader" but the stat line only lists 3 Seventh Coil Assassins, so choose an appropriate number.

Page 74-75 : The Orlath’s secondary eleven +1 scimitar attacks do 1d8+3 plus 1 vile damage each, not 1d8+2. He gets +2 damage bonus for half his strength and +1 damage bonus for the magic weapon.

Dungeon Magazine #147

Adventure #9: Into the Maw

Half-Fiend Cambion Guards

There is a small mention on page 82 of this adventure that many of the original guards and jailors at the prison of Divided Ire were half-fiend cambions. For expanding this adventure, here are three different NPC high-level cambion jailors that may still be found in the prison having managed to survive. These NPC statistic blocks use for a baseline the 3.5 D&D version of the cambion published in the adventure Expedition to the Demonweb Pits, which is also available for free from the Wizards of the Coast website^³. The special abilities of the cambion are described here for convenience.

Aligned Strike: A cambion’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as chaotic-aligned and evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Alternate Form (Su): A cambion can assume the form of a specific Medium humanoid (typically a human, drow, elf, aasimar, tiefling, githyanki, githzerai, marrash, or gnoll, but sometimes a goblinoid) as a standard action once per day. This ability functions as a polymorph spell cast on itself as a 6th-level caster, except a cambion does not regain hit points for changing form and can assume only the form of that specific creature. A cambion can remain in its humanoid form until it chooses to return to its natural form.

Silent Metal (Ex): A cambion has no armor check penalty on Hide and Move Silently checks.

Cambion Elite Guard

The most common cambions in the prison were elite soldiers well trained in unarmed fighting, swordplay and the ballista. If any of these elite cambion guards remain, they can still be found in service to the prison warden Kululblax, though some may have defected to Lillianth due to her legendary reputation and leadership feats. Both factions may still have some functioning light or heavy ballistae, most likely deployed in location 9 and/or location 25.

If used in another campaign, these soldiers are likely bodyguards to a powerful wizard or part of an elite strike force for an evil army.

Ranged: mwk barbed javelin +20 (1d10+5/19–20) (+1 to hit and damage within 30 feet)

Feats: Ballista Proficiency, Improved Unarmed Strike, Improved Critical(ballista), Improved Critical(longsword), Improved Grapple, Iron Will, Melee Weapon Mastery(slashing), Point Blank Shot, Weapon Focus(ballista), Weapon Focus (longsword), Weapon Specialization(ballista), Weapon Specialization(longsword)

Skills: Balance +7, Climb +10, Diplomacy –1, Gather Information +6, Hide +18, Jump +3, Knowledge (local) +10, Listen +8, Move Silently +18, Sense Motive +14, Spot +8, Tumble +14

Possessions mwk breastplate, heavy steel shield +1 , 4 mwk barbed javelin, longsword +1, potion of haste, potion of heroism, potion of bull’s strength, potion of bear’s endurance

Cambion Wizard Jailor

Those few cambions blessed with high intelligence are often trained as wizards, and a few of these individuals served as jailors in the prison of Divided Ire. Today only one or two at most remain. Any that still survive likely serve Lillianth, as they blame the prison warden for the complete breakdown at the prison and deem Kululblax no longer worthy of loyalty and service.

If used in another campaign, a cambion wizard is likely to try and carve out a small realm in one of the many wildlands or borderlands that lie in the Known World or Savage Coast.

AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 20; (+3 Dex, +4 mage armor, +4 shield bonus, +2 natural)

Feats: Arcane Thesis^⁴(hailstones), Brew Potion, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Practiced Spellcaster, Quicken Spell, Scribe Scroll, Spell Focus(evocation), Spell Penetration

Skills Balance +7, Bluff +7, Climb +10, Concentration +16, Diplomacy +5, Gather Information +8, Hide +20, Jump +7, Knowledge Arcana +17, Knowledge (local) +13, Listen +8, Move Silently +20, Sense Motive +10, Spellcraft +17, Spot +8, Tumble +14

4^th level (4/day) (DC 18): enervation, freedom of movement, orb of acid^⁵, stoneskin

3^rd level (4/day) (DC 17): hailstones^⁶(CL 16^th, DC 18), haste, heroism, vampiric touch

2^nd level (5/day) (DC 16): cat’s grace, false life, fox’s cunning, bear’s endurance, see invisibility

1^st level (5/day) (DC 15): lesser orb of acid^⁷, mage armor, magic missile, protection from good, shield

Strzak, Divided Ire’s Executioner

Strzak served as executioner to the prison warden Kululblax on Divided Ire for a few years before prisoners began to break out and take over sections of the prison. Survival became Strzak’s only focus, avoiding not only the wrath of prisoners seeking revenge but also the warden’s frequent rages. With the arrival of S’Sharra, Strzak saw an opportunity and a way out. She accepted his offer of allegiance while ordering him to serve as her spy. He may be found either with Kululblax or with S’Sharra. He will attempt to set up flank attacks against PCs engaged with either demon. Should a battle between the PCs involve Kululblax and S’Sharra, Strzak may take an opportunity to sneak attack Kululblax if the warden appears to be facing defeat.

If used on Mystara, Strzak has been hired to start a war between two neighboring nations, using his alternate form for years to work his way up to become a high-ranked adviser in the government of each nation. His craven nature does give PCs an opportunity to avert the impending war if they can locate his copious notes that he diligently maintains for both blackmail and bargaining purposes.

AC 22, touch 15, flat-footed 16; uncanny dodge, improved uncanny dodge (+5 Dex, +5 armor, +2 natural)

Feats: Combat Expertise, Craven^⁸(-2 to saves against fear effects), Improved Feint, Iron Will, Telling Blow^⁹, Weapon Finesse

Skills Balance +7, Bluff +11, Climb +11, Diplomacy –1, Disguise +14, Escape Artist +18, Gather Information +7, Hide +19, Jump +4, Knowledge (local) +10, Listen +8, Move Silently +19, Sense Motive +8, Spot +8, Tumble +15, Use Magic Device +11

Possessions: +2 keen short sword, 4 mwk barbed javelin, crystal mask of mind armor, cloak of minor displacement, +1 mithral chain shirt

4^th level (3/day) (DC 16): ferocity of sanguine rage^¹⁰, freedom of movement, greater invisibility

3^rd level (3/day) (DC 15): false life, find the gap^¹¹, magic circle against good

2^nd level (4/day) (DC 14): cat’s grace, fox’s cunning, wraithstrike^¹², undetectable alignment

1^st level (4/day) (DC 13): blade of blood^¹³, critical strike^¹⁴(x2), true strike

Cassiel, done by Kevin Simonich with https://www.heroforge.com/

Cassiel, Half-Celestial Halfling/Hin

Cassiel was born on the outer plane of the High Hero Nob Nar^¹⁵. While she has never been to Mystara and the Five Shires, her mother was a native of the Shires and told her many tales about her home. Cassiel was part of a band that adventured in the outer planes until she was captured in an ambush that saw several of her companions slain.

Her captor was a general under Demogorgon’s command, and the demon only spared her because he found her singing voice pleasing. When the general was called away for a new campaign, he decided to place her and what remained of her belongings in Divided Ire until he could return. Cassiel was forgotten after the general was destroyed on the battlefield. Cassiel arrived only shortly before the first major prison breakdown and loss of control, and was rescued by Saureya^¹⁶ when the astral deva broke out of his cell. Infatuated by his presence and grateful for being rescued, Cassiel swore her allegiance to Saureya and remains with him in the throne room found at Location 31 of the prison of Divided Ire.

Since then Cassiel has grown uneasy with Saureya’s dual nature and knows that he has fallen. But her oath of loyalty and inability to escape the prison leaves her with no choice but to stay and serve the astral deva. When the PCs meet Saureya, they may find that they can sway Cassiel to their side with stories or displays of heroism. If Saureya is slain, Cassiel will surrender and ally with them for the remainder of the adventure. She can be persuaded to accompany the PCs back to Mystara with a DC 35 Diplomacy check, and a +5 circumstance bonus is granted to the check if they tell her stories about their life on Mystara.

Feats: Captivating Melody, Improved Initiative, Melodic Casting, Point Blank Shot, Exotic Weapon Proficiency (halfling warsling), Exotic Weapon Proficiency(skiprock), Song of the Heart

Skills Bluff +24, Climb +2, Diplomacy +24, Gather Information +18, Jump +2, Knowledge Arcana +17, Knowledge(arcana) +20, Knowledge(history) +8, Knowledge (planes) +20, Listen +15, Move Silently +7, Perform(singing) +24, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +20, Spot +8, Tumble +14

Possessions: mwk halfling warsling^¹⁸, nine +2 skiprocks^¹⁹, leather armor

5^th level (3/day) (DC 22): cacophonic burst^²⁰, greater dispel magic, greater heroism

4^th level (5/day) (DC 21): dimensional anchor, dimension door, freedom of movement, greater invisibility, shout

3^rd level (6/day) (DC 20): cure serious wounds, good hope, haste, resonating bolt^²¹, slow

2^nd level (6/day) (DC 19): alter self, blur, glitterdust, mirror image, see invisibility

1^st level (6/day) (DC 18): cure light wounds, expeditious retreat, inspirational boost^²², magic missile, silent image

0^th level (4/day) – detect magic, mage hand, mending, message, prestidigitation, read magic

1/day – aid, bless, cure serious wounds, detect evil, dispel evil (DC 22), hallow (DC 22), holy smite (DC 21), holy word (DC 24), neutralize poison, remove disease

Errata

Page 54: Azael’s Diplomacy should be +21 because he gets synergy bonuses for his ranks in both Bluff and Sense Motive.

Page 62: The saves of the Greater Lemorian Golem should be Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +11. Its flat-footed AC should be 25, not 27. The damage for its melee attack is incorrect, each tentacle does 3d6+13 damage as a baseline, so the listed 5 point power attack should be 3d6+18 damage.

Page 63: S’Sharra should have an AC of 42, not 41, due to her Two Weapon Defense feat.

Page 73-74: Lynarra should be CR 19 at a minimum, not CR17. Her flat-footed AC is 32, not 27. Her claw attack is +19, not +14. A sword of life stealing is a longsword, not a shortsword, but she is using her Weapon Finesse feat. The easiest fix is to make her weapon a +2 short sword of life stealing that does 1d6+2 damage and change her Improved Critical feat from longsword to short sword. Mislead spell DC is 28, and Dominate Monster SLA DC is 32.

Page 75-76: Lillianth should have a +25 Will save with unholy aura, not +23, due to her Iron Will feat.

Page 77 : The shadows of Socothbenoth have an Initiative of +13 factoring in their Improved Initiative feat. Their Base Attack Bonus (BAB) and Grapple are +15, which makes their claw attacks +24 touch and their rake attacks +19 touch.

Page 78 : The caster level for Vanthus’ spell-like abilities is 15, not 12. His Swim score should be +9 accounting for 3 skill ranks, a +8 Strength bonus and a -2 armor check penalty. His skill scores don’t account for synergies, so you can add +4 to his Diplomacy checks and +2 to his Balance, Intimidate, Jump and Tumble checks.

Dungeon Magazine #148

Adventure #10: Wells of Darkness

Jaga Gena, Priestess and Leader of Gatormen Assassin Squad

Jaga Gena is an NPC introduced in Threshold Magazine #19, pages 175-177, for the Savage Tide Adventure Path. Here she is provided with an alternate stat block providing a different encounter challenge for PCs. For more information on her background in the Savage Coast and her motivations, see Threshold #19.

Jaga will cast the following spells before combat on herself: entropic shield, shield of faith, owl’s wisdom, demon wings, magic vestment, freedom of movement, greater magic weapon, and repulsion, as well as greater spell immunity if she knows of a high-level spell the PCs prefer to use. She will also drink her potion of haste. These spells and the potion are already reflected in her stat block below. She will also cast bull’s strength on her companions (barbarian, binder, fighter), eagle’s splendor on the binder, and shield of faith (barbarian, fighter) as well as unholy aura on her entire team. In the first round of combat, she prefers to cast a quickened prayer as a swift action followed up by an offensive spell in the same round. If forced into melee she may cast divine power if no one can assist her, which is not included in the stat block below.

Jaga will make use of her Divine Metamagic^²³ feat to convert her five turn undead uses per day to either Quicken or Empower one or more of her high-level spells. She can empower two spells (consuming two uses each) or quicken one spell (consuming four uses). Divine Shield^²⁴ also provides a way to convert a single turn undead use into a bonus to her shield equal to her Charisma bonus.

AC 36, touch 15, flat-footed 33; (-1 Dex, +1 haste, +4 natural, +7 armor, +4 magical vestment, +4 shield(+6 w/Divine Shield), +5 deflection)

SR 30(if casting spell resistance), or 25 vs good spells and spells cast by good creatures

Fort +18, Ref +11, Will +20 (+22 w/owl’s wisdom) (includes haste, unholy aura)

Melee : +4 mwk large red steel heavy mace +23(and +23 when hasted)/+18/+13 (2d6+7/20x2) and tail slap +14 (1d8+1)

Abilities: Str 16, Dex 8, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 22(18 without owl’s wisdom), Cha 14

Feats: Divine Metamagic, Divine Shield, Empower Spell, Greater Spell Focus(necromancy), Improved Initiative, Quicken Spell, Spell Focus(evocation), Spell Focus(necromancy)

Skills: Balance +2, Concentration +23, Diplomacy +8, Intimidate +13, Knowledge(history) +7, Knowledge(planes) +5, Knowledge(religion) +10, Listen +9, Spellcraft +5, Spot +9, Survival +11(+13 other planes), Swim +8 (does not factor in Armor Check Penalty of -7)

Possessions: Masterwork Red Steel Half-plate, Masterwork Heavy Red Steel Shield +2, Masterwork Oversized(Large) Red Steel Heavy Mace, Potion of Cure Serious Wounds, Potion of Haste

8^th (4/day)(DC 24/22) – antimagic field, greater spell immunity, horrid wilting^d(DC 26/24), unholy aura

7^th (4/day)(DC 23/21) – acid fog^d, destruction(DC 25/23), prayer(quickened), repulsion

6^th (5/day)(DC 22/20) – blade barrier(23/21), cone of cold^d(DC 23/21), greater dispel magic, harm(DC 24/22), word of recall

5^th (5/day)(DC 21/19) – bane(quickened, DC 17/15), flame strike(DC 22/20), ice storm^d(DC 22/20) slay living(DC 23/21), spell resistance

4^th (7/day) – dimensional anchor^d, divine power, freedom of movement, greater magic weapon, spell immunity(x3)

3^rd (7/day) – demon wings^d^²⁵, dispel magic, invisibility purge, magic vestment, protection from energy(x2), sticks to snakes^²⁶

2^nd (7/day)(DC 18/16) – bull’s strength(x3), eagle’s splendor, fog cloud^d, owl’s wisdom, silence

1^st (7/day)(DC 17/15) – cure light wounds(x2), entropic shield, obscuring mist^d, shield of faith(x3)

Outside of combat, a gurrash must make a Wisdom check vs DC 16 when in frustrating or unfamiliar circumstances. If failed, the gurrash flies into a rage, breaking things, threatening all around it, and possibly attacking the provoker. After 2 rounds, a second Wisdom check is made- if successful, the gurrash rants for another 3 rounds before calming down; if failed, the gurrash attacks the object of its frustration.

Jaga Gena may also become enraged by taking more than 40 points of damage in a single attack. She must make a Wisdom check vs DC18 or become enraged. If enraged while in combat (whether by damage or from frustration), she rages like a 3rd level barbarian.

In a combat rage, a gurrash temporarily gains a +4 bonus to Strength, a +4 bonus to Constitution, and a +2 morale bonus on Will saves, but he takes a -2 penalty to Armor Class. The increase in Constitution increases its hit points by 2 points per HD, but these hit points go away at the end of the rage when his Constitution score drops back to normal. (These extra hit points are not lost first the way temporary hit points are.) While raging, a gurrash cannot use any Charisma-, Dexterity-, or Intelligence-based skills (except for Balance, Escape Artist, Intimidate, and Ride), the Concentration skill, or any abilities that require patience or concentration, nor can she cast spells or activate magic items that require a command word, a spell trigger (such as a wand), or spell completion (such as a scroll) to function. He can use any feat he has except Combat Expertise, item creation feats, and metamagic feats. A fit of rage lasts for a number of rounds equal to 3 + the gurrash's (newly improved) Constitution modifier. A gurrash cannot prematurely end his rage- only the death of its target or the normal ending can end it. At the end of the rage, the gurrash loses the rage modifiers and restrictions and becomes fatigued (-2 penalty to Strength, -2 penalty to Dexterity, can't charge or run) for the duration of the current encounter.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a gurrash hits with both of its claws, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. No initial touch attack is required. Unless otherwise noted, improved grab works only against opponents at least Medium size or smaller than the gurrash.

Tail Slap (Ex): A gurrash may make a tail attack against any creature behind it as a secondary attack. If not using facing, the gurrash may make a tail attack against any flanking opponent it does not attack with its other weapons. The tail slap inflicts 1d8 damage.

Powerful Build (Ex): A gurrash is treated as one-size larger with regards to Bull Rush, Trip, Grapple, etc., and may use weapons designed for creatures one size larger.

Makuu Gena, Flame Inheritor

Makuu Gena is another NPC introduced in Threshold Magazine #19, pages 180-182, for the Savage Tide Adventure Path and a member of Jaga Gena’s team. Here he is provided with an alternate stat block providing a different encounter challenge for PCs. For more information on his background in the Savage Coast, see Threshold #19.

Just before the fight begins, Makuu will invoke his legacies cinnabryl skin, heroism and tortle shell and then drink his potion of haste. Makuu will move to block any opponents trying to reach his sister. He always uses Combat Expertise to take advantage of his Riposte ability. He will try to engage more than one opponent in order to make use of Elusive Target, even letting opponents flank him.

AC 48, touch 27, flat-footed 43; (+2 Dex^²⁷, +1 haste, +4 natural, +5 barkskin, +11 armor, +7 shield, +5 deflection, +2 Combat Expertise), Dodge, Mobility, Elusive Target

Melee : (Using 2 points of Combat Expertise, heroism) +3 large red steel bastard sword +33(and +33 when hasted)/+28/+23/+18 (2d8+13/17-20x3) and tail slap +22 (1d8+3)

Abilities: Str 22(18 without bull’s strength), Dex 14, Con 15, Int 13, Wis 12, Cha 8

Feats: Combat Expertise, Dodge, Elusive Target^²⁸, Exotic Weapon Proficiency(large bastard sword), Improved Critical(large bastard sword), Improved Initiative, Inheritor Feat^²⁹(x4), Melee Weapon Mastery^³⁰(slashing), Mobility, Power Attack, Riposte^³¹, Shield Specialization^³²(heavy steel shield), Shield Ward^³³, Weapon Focus(large bastard sword), Weapon Specialization(large bastard sword)

Skills: Balance +8, Intimidate +22, Jump +27, Listen +6, Spellcraft +1, Spot +2, Survival +6, Swim +17

Possessions: Red Steel Full Plate +3, Heavy Red Steel Shield +4, Oversized(Large) Red Steel Bastard Sword +3, Potion of Cure Serious Wounds, Potion of Haste, Vial of Crimson Essence^³⁴

Cinnabryl skin (Su): Makku gains DR 2/red steel for a duration of 18 minutes (1 minute/level).

Enrage (Ex): See Jaga Gena entry, but for Makuu it takes 50hp of damage in a single blow to trigger the need to make a DC 18 Wisdom check.

Power Storing (Su): If Makuu is targeted by a damaging spell, he may, as an immediate action, instantly absorb the magical energy up to a certain limit (1 HD/level) and take no damage from the absorbed HD. Makuu may then release the absorbed magical energy when striking with a red steel weapon. The energy remains stored for up to one hour, at which point the energy harmlessly dissipates if not released. For Makuu, up to 18HD of magical damage may be absorbed. When releasing the energy with a red steel weapon, Makuu gains a damage bonus of +1hp per HD of damage absorbed. The type of damage is the same as the energy type of the spell, if any. Power Storing is a Savage Coast legacy^³⁶ which drains Charisma.

Big Red, Gatorman Barbarian and Frenzied Berserker

Big Red is another NPC introduced in Threshold Magazine #19, pages 182-183, for the Savage Tide Adventure Path and a member of Jaga Gena’s team. Here he is provided with an alternate stat block providing a different encounter challenge for PCs. For more information on his background in the Savage Coast, see Threshold #19.

Just before the fight begins, Big Red will invoke his aid ability to increase his hit points and then cast enlarge person from his ring. This increases his size to Large, thereby increasing his Space and Reach to 10 feet each. It also increases his Strength by 2 and decreases his Dexterity and AC by 2 each. He enters combat with rage and frenzy on the next round. Should he come out of his rage while the combat is still going on, he will spend the next round invoking his second use of aid. He will then resume combat. Big Red prefers to close with arcane or divine spellcasters to take advantage of his reach and Mage Slayer feat.

AC 31, touch 18, flat-footed 28; (+3 Dex, +4 natural, +9 armor, +5 deflection, -2 AC while Large size, -2 AC while raging, -4 AC while frenzied), uncanny dodge, improved uncanny dodge

+2 large executioner’s mace^³⁹ +30(and +30 when frenzied)/+25/+20/+15 (3d6+32/19-20x3) and tail slap +27 (1d8+12)

(while Large size and no power attack) +2 large executioner’s mace +34(and +34 when frenzied)/+29/+24/+19 (4d6+21/19-20x3) and tail slap +27 (1d8+6)

Abilities: Str 34(18 without bull’s strength, rage, frenzy), Dex 16, Con 21(15 without rage), Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 12

Feats: Cleave, Combat Reflexes, Destructive Rage^⁴³, Diehard, Improved Critical (executioner’s mace), Improved Initiative, Intimidating Rage^⁴⁴, Mage Slayer^⁴⁵, Power Attack

Skills: Balance +8, Intimidate +22, Jump +27, Listen +6, Spellcraft +1, Spot +2, Survival +6, Swim +17

Possessions: Red Steel Breastplate +4, Masterwork Large Red Steel Executioner’s Mace +2, Ring of Minor Spell Storing (enlarge person)

Enrage (Ex): See Jaga Gena entry, but this ability is not applicable while Big Red is in a barbarian rage and/or frenzy. Should the encounter continue even after Big Red’s barbarian rage and frenzy expires, he will automatically fail this Wisdom check, but he needs to take 50hp of damage in a single blow to succumb once again to this rage. Keep in mind this rage is not as powerful as his barbarian Greater Rage.

Dragon Magazine #356

Savage Tidings : Into the Abyss

Errata

Page 69: The Demonhair Shirt mimics the rage and frenzy abilities, but only grants a +6 bonus to Strength with no Constitution modifier. However, the magic item description includes this sentence, "Once activated, the demonic fury lasts for a number of rounds equal to your improved Constitution bonus." Based on this, the Demonhair Shirt should also grant a +6 profane bonus to Constitution.

^{1See
Book of Vile Darkness, p47}

^{2
See Dungeon Magazine #146, p66}

^{4See
Player’s Handbook II, p74-75}

^{5See
Spell Compendium, p150}

^{6See
Spell Compendium, p109}

^{7See
Miniatures Handbook, p33}

^{8See
Champions of Ruin, p17}

^{9See
Player’s Handbook II, p83}

^{10See
Dragon Magic, p67}

^{11See
Spell Compendium, p91}

^{12See
Spell Compendium, p243}

^{13
See Player’s Handbook II, p103}

^{14See
Spell Compendium, p56}

^{15See
GAZ8, The Five Shires}

^{16See
Dungeon Magazine #147, p80}

^{17See
Complete Arcane, p67}

^{18See
Races of Faerun, p188}

^{19See
Arms and Equipment Guide, p9}

^{20See
Spell Compendium, p41}

^{21See
Complete Arcane, p121}

^{22See
Spell Compendium, p124}

^{23See
Complete Divine, p80}

^{24See
Complete Warrior, p106}

^{25See
Fiendish Codex I : Hordes of the Abyss, p92}

^{26See
Dragon Magazine #317, p71}

^{27This
assumes that red steel has similar properties to mithral in terms of
max Dexterity bonus and armor check penalty, extrapolating from
Dragon Magazine #315, p71-72}

^{28See
Complete Warrior, p110}

^{29See
Dragon Magazine #315, p71}

^{30See
Player’s Handbook II, p81}

^{31See
Dragon Compendium Volume 1, p105}

^{32See
Player’s Handbook II, p82}

^33Ibid

^{34See
Dragon Magazine #315, p71}

^{35This
spell-like ability is a Savage Coast legacy, see Savage Coast
Campaign Book : Characters of the Savage Coast, p73}

^{36See
Dragon Magazine #172, p46}

^{37See
Complete Warrior, p34}

^{38See
Complete Warrior, p34}

^{39See
Dungeon Magazine #135, p61}

^{40See
Complete Warrior, p34}

^41Ibid

^42Ibid

^{43See
Complete Warrior, p97}

^{44See
Complete Warrior, p102}

^{45See
Complete Arcane, p81}

^{46This
spell-like ability is a Savage Coast legacy, see Savage Coast
Campaign Book : Characters of the Savage Coast, p73}