Morterren Asp
Large magical beast (psionic)
Hit Dice: 7d10+28 (66 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft.(4 squares), climb 20 ft.
AC: 18 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12 , flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/ +17
Attacks: Bite +12 melee (1d6+9 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +12/+7 (1d6+9 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d4+9 , improved grab, poison, psi-like abilities
Special Qualities: Acclimatized, immunity to negative energy, obsidian scales, scent.
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Balance +14, Climb +16, Hide +10 (+16 in obsidian plains), Listen +7, Spot +7, Survival +4
Feats: Ability Focus (venom), Improved Ability Focus (venom), Improved Natural Weapon (bite)
Environment: Dead Lands
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: none
Alignment: Neutral/Evil
Advancement: 8-12 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: ---
Before you, you can hear a faint sound like two stones rubbing against one another, though you can see noting moving in the obsidian wasteland known as the Dead Lands. Then you hear it again, though now it is behind you. As you twirl around and unsheathe your bone sword, you see a smooth black-skinned serpent rise up from the obsidian behind you. It’s eyes glare at you with cold malice and the serpent gives you a short hiss as it’s huge maw opens to reveal twin fangs as wide as your hand. As you raise up your shield and draw back your arm to swing, the creature’s eyes gleam brightly for just a second and the creature leaps at you faster then any normal creature could move. The serpent locks it vise-like jaws on your shoulder and swiftly wraps it’s longish body around you and squeezes. Then you feel the cold numbing sensation that sweeps through your body as the creature’s venom races through your veins, locking your body tight and sapping your strength. You topple from the snake’s weight and it smoothly uncoils it’s body from around you. As the venom rushes to your heart and begins to still it’s wild rush of beating, you gaze upon the snake, a morterren asp your mind calmly recalls , as it coils in a pile before you, watching with an evil intellect as the last spark of life fades from your eyes.
Over the millennia since the Dead Lands were formed, the strange forces that created the land still ferment that terrain, twisting the creatures that reside within the area and imbuing them with strange features. While most of the beings that exist within the boarders of the Dead Lands are animated corpses, the few creatures that are living in the obsidian wasteland have become more savage and deadly over the centuries.
The morterren asp is a prime example of this. Larger then most other snakes, these creatures have thick, obsidian-like scales that ward its flesh from the shards of obsidian it slithers over. On average, they measure anywhere from six to ten feet in length and are usually five to nine inches thick. Like most snakes, the morterren asp is cold-blooded and therefore it is almost never encountered at night, though there are those who will venture into the Dead Lands to try find one of these creatures den in order to harvest the creatures poison and hide, both items demanding high prices in any market.
Most of these serpents live on the boarder of the Dead Lands, relishing in the abyssal heat conditions found there. They are found within the surrounding countryside as well, fore there is very little to eat within the obsidian wasteland and so the creature will venture forth to hunt for its food. Unlike most creatures though, the morterren asp enjoys killing and will sometimes stalk and kill a creature just for the perverse pleasure it gets from doing so. If it kills a creature to large for it to swallow whole, the morterren asp will use its psi-like ability of exhalation of the braxat to render its meal down into pieces it may swallow.
Combat
While the morterren asp does hunt for food, they also kill for pleasure. The morterren asp is a cunning and dangerous creature that will observe their prey before deciding to strike. They make full use of their psi-like abilities, using thicken skin and hustle before entering combat and softening up foes with a few strikes of ego whip or exhalation of the braxat. While their hard obsidian-like skin is able to ward off some damage, if confronted with powerful foes the morterren asp will try to flee by using ectoplasmic form.
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a morterren asp deals 1d4+9 points of damage.
Immunity to Negative Energy (Ex): The energies that created the Dead Lands have had very strong impact on those creatures that inhabit the area. As such, the morterren asp is immune to all effects that use negative energy such as energy drain from undead or spells such as enervation, ray of enfeeblement, or any inflict spell.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a morterren asp must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Potent Venom (Ex): The toxic poison of the morterren asp is in of the more potent in Athas. As such the DC is increased by +4 and the onset time of the secondary damage is only two rounds.
Poison (Ex): The morterren asp has a poisonous bite that has very dehabilitating effects. Primary damage is 3d6 points of temporary Strength damage and 2d6 points of temporary Dexterity damage (DC 25 to half damage), and secondary damage is complete paralysis which lasts for 2d6+8 minutes (onset time two rounds). The venom DC is Constitution based.
If harvested, the venom of the morterren asp is worth its weight in gold, fetching around 20 gold pieces in most markets. Its price is due not only to the venoms strength or danger of harvesting it, but also to the fact that morterren asp venom looses its potency very quickly. For every week that passes since the venom was harvested, reduce Strength and Dexterity damage dealt by a d6 and the DC by 4 and the onset time is 5 rounds. After two weeks, the venom no longer causes paralysis and the onset time is one minute.
Acclimatized (Ex): The obsidian-like scales that the morterren asp has allows it to survive within the extreme heat that is normal within the Dead Lands. The morterren asp has a fire resistance 1 and is not adversely affected by the abyssal heat conditions found within the Dead Lands. On the other hand, due to its cold-blooded nature and the severe cold found within this terrain, the morterren asp gets very lethargic at night and will always return to its den to avoid the cold. While the creature is in its den, it is not required to make Fortitude save to avoid damage from the cold, but it is very vulnerable to those brave enough to venture into the Dead Lands at night to try to harvest its venom or to capture one alive. At night, when the temperature is cold, the morterren asp receives a -4 to all skill checks and attack rolls and loses its Dexterity bonus to AC.
Obsidian Scales (Ex): The thick, obsidian-like scales of the morterren asp allows it to slither over the jagged shards of obsidian that litters the Dead Lands. This constant rubbing over the stone has smoothed out the scales of this serpent and polished them to a high sheen. Their thick scales has the added benefit of providing the morterren asp with a DR 5/ bludgeoning or metal.
The polished scales of the morterren asp can be used to make sets of superb scale armor and many beautiful ordainments. The skin of a large specimen sells for 30 gp in most city-states and can be used to make scale mail armor for one medium creature (or two small-sized sets), while a huge specimen can sell for 70 gp and can be used to make scale mail armor for one large creature (or two medium-sized, or four small-sized). Morterren asp scale mail armor costs an additional +5,300 Cp to manufacture and is always of masterwork quality, the masterwork cost being included in the price. The armor provides DR 2/bludgeoning or metal, and its armor check penalty is lessened by 1.
Psi-like Abilities (Ps): 3/day each- thicken skin (+3 to AC), ectoplasmic form, ego whip (DC 15, 2d4 points of Charisma damage, save for half), empty mind (+5 to Will save), exhalation of the braxat (DC 14, 4d6 points of acid damage), hustle. Manifester level 7th. The save DCs are Wisdom based. *All powers are augmented for manifester level.
Skills: Morterren asps have a +4 racial bonus on Hide (+10 in obsidian plains) , Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. They may also choose to take 10 on a climb check, even if rushed or threatened and also use their Dexterity or Strength modifier for Climb checks, which ever is higher. Due to their thick obsidian-like skin, morterren asps sink like rocks in silt or water and receive a -6 penalty on all Swim checks
Captivity: After millennia of exposure to the twisted energies that infect the Dead Lands, the morterren asp is incapable of surviving for any prolonged span of time far from those blasted obsidian plains. If a morterren asp is some how captured and is contained in a way that prevents it from using its psi-like abilities, the serpent will die within two weeks of leaving the area.
Read it over, kill some PCs, and let me know how it works!!
Uhm... what does the Morterren Asp hunt and live off in the Dead Lands? Living beings are scarce in those parts...
O good point- I ment to write in the description that the morterren asp is a boarder dweller- it is never encountered deep in the Dead Lands. It will venture a few miles out into the surrounding landscape to hunt but always returns to its nest/den in the Dead Lands.
I also forgot to add that it will use its psi-like power of breath of the braxat to help it eat protions of larger creatures that it kills.
I was a little iffy on the CR but I thought that any higher and the challenge of fighting the critter would diminish dramitically.
I also forgot to add that it will use its psi-like power of breath of the bratax to help it eat protions of larger creatures that it kills.
"Braxat" ;)
O good point- I ment to write in the description that the morterren asp is a boarder dweller- it is never encountered deep in the Dead Lands. It will venture a few miles out into the surrounding landscape to hunt but always returns to its nest/den in the Dead Lands.
And yet it has the Captivity trait due to long term exposure and development in the Deadlands? Why would it have remained there for centuries, if not millennia - to develop such a trait if its food sources are outside the Deadlands? I have a suggestion - rather than having the Captivity trait be a result of development over time - link it to the great cataclysm that created the Deadlands. Just a suggestion.
If I had to choose I'd take the invisible option, make it a continuous invisibility to undead.
If I go this route I will have to add the powe 'sever the tie' to their psi-like power list.
Thanks.
I was saying live where the undead live because A) you have hide from undead as a continuous effect on you, and B) where the undead live nothing alive lives, so that means nothing will try and eat you, so you are safe.
Just go out of where the undead are living to go hunt for food, i.e. the Asp travels a few miles outside of the Dead Lands every day in search of its food, then retreats to within the Dead Lands where the incidence of living creatures is drastically lower than outside of it (thus can rest in a safe place until it goes out to hunt again).
Mmm, but you could add "undead carrion" (if such a thing exists) to its diet, meaning that the Asp eats live prey it kills with its venom but also acts like a carrion sometimes, eating dismembered fleshy undead parts and the like (probably a frequent occurence in the Dead Lands), i.e. a bit of flesh here, or a cut-off rotting appendage, and its the absorption of this undead material that makes the Asp's venom so deadly.
Kal, what do you think about the two suggestions I made?
Sorry Pennarin- I was not ignoring you, but I was wrapping up Stonecutter and the text for Step Into the Past- I have plans on working on the Morterren Asp this weekend. As for your suggestions- i was thinking about a psi ability that works like aversion but only function against undead, but I am unsure that something like that would work due to the mind-effecting nature of such a power.
One of the reasons that the asps live in the Dead Lands is the heat- almost no where else gets as hot, and the asps will almost never be encountered at night when it gets cold.
The undead hunter/eater path that these crittrs could take is cool, but not originally where I was going with this, but could be explored. I had been originally thinking that many undead function at night, leaving the asp to get around and hunt for food on the boarders, and at night, when the asp went to its den to escape the cold, the undead would ome out. Now this is almost a perfect relationship, each critter a predator during different times (which is found in the natural world). The immunity to negative energy that the asps have is a by-product of evolutionary change due to factors within the creatures habitat- maybe an interesting thing to add to the asp would be that undead feel the sting of the morterren asps venom as well. Hummmm, something to think about too.
Anyway- lots to consider, but I will work on some of it soon- of course additional comments are always welcome.
Thanks too to Master Ivan- I did consider giving the asps the psi-like ability of sustanance, which would allow them to live for a long time without food, allowing them time to hunt and kill for the pure pleasure.
I have plans on working on the Morterren Asp this weekend. As for your suggestions- i was thinking about a psi ability that works like aversion but only function against undead, but I am unsure that something like that would work due to the mind-effecting nature of such a power.
Hide from undead (PHB) is a low level (1st) abjuration spell that makes you undetected in any way by undead who fail their save. Since its abjuration it affects even those undead immune to mind-affecting effects, and mindless undead. Most undead who do suceed at their save probably won't care about the Asp anyway, since its a poisonous animal and thus won't try to eat undead or kill undead for territory.
One of the reasons that the asps live in the Dead Lands is the heat- almost no where else gets as hot, and the asps will almost never be encountered at night when it gets cold.
Then you need to add that the Asp is resistant to the Fort saves any living creature makes during the hot hours of the day. Such a trick would allow the Asp to hunt during the time where the other creatures are hidden in their lairs, surprising them. Its a bit like a creature able to hunt during sandstorms...
Your idea that undead work during the night is not bad but its unsupported. Yes, a majority of undead will do so so as to avoid falling apart, and to take advantage of those undead that are vulnerable to sunlight and which can't work during the day, but undead have no ecology, nor is there an ecology in the Dead Lands, so the passage of time is mostly irrelevant: undead will work day and night, oblivious to rain, duststorms, and scalding heat.
maybe an interesting thing to add to the asp would be that undead feel the sting of the morterren asps venom as well. Hummmm, something to think about too.
If it were so, I'd surmise there would be no Asp remaining by this day. Think about it: What is the goal for an animal to attack undead that naturally leave it alone in the first place? The symbiotic relationship, in this case, ought to be solely on the side of the Asp, i.e. the Asp takes advantage of the fear living creatures feel towards undead by establishing its lair within the Dead Lands, and also uses the discarded undead flesh laying around to bolster its venom.
If it started to attack undead, the Asp would antagonize the very thing that makes its lair secure and poison so potent.
I think I will be shying away from the whole undead thing- I think it distracts from the asp instead of adding to it IMO, but thanks Pennarin- I do have new idea for another critter based off of some of your suggestiong.
I will add some material to the critter like some uber heat resistance to allow them to survive in the blazing Dead Land daytime heat.
Morterren Asp
Medium magical beast (psionic)
Hit Dice: 7d10+28 (66 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft.(4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
AC: 17 (+3Dex, +4 natural), touch 13 , flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/ +10
Attacks: Bite +10 melee (1d6+2 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +10/+5 (1d6+2 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Constrict , improved grab, poison, psi-like abilities
Special Qualities: Acclimatized, captivity, immunity to negative energy, obsidian skin, scent.
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 16, Con 19, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Balance 14, Climb 13, Hide 10, Listen 7, Spot 7, Survival 4
Feats: Ability Focus (venom), Improved Ability Focus (venom), Weapon Finesse
Environment: Dead Lands
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: none
Alignment: Neutral/Evil
Advancement: 8-12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: ---
Before you, you can hear a faint sound like two stones rubbing against one another, though you can see noting moving in the obsidian wasteland known as the Dead Lands. Then you hear it again, though now it is behind you. As you twirl around and unsheathe your bone sword, you see a smooth black-skinned serpent rise up from the obsidian behind you. It’s eyes glare at you with cold malice and the serpent gives you a short hiss as it’s huge maw opens to reveal twin fangs as wide as your hand. As you raise up your shield and draw back your arm to swing, the creature’s eyes gleam brightly for just a second and the creature leaps at you faster then any normal creature could move. The serpent locks it vise-like jaws on your shoulder and swiftly wraps it’s longish body around you and squeezes. Then you feel the cold numbing sensation that sweeps through your body as the creature’s venom races through your veins, locking your body tight and sapping your strength. You topple from the snake’s weight and it smoothly uncoils it’s body from around you. As the venom rushes to your heart and begins to still it’s wild rush of beating, you gaze upon the snake, a morterren asp your mind calmly recalls , as it coils in a pile before you, watching with an evil intellect as the last spark of life fades from your eyes.
Over the millennia since the Dead Lands were formed, the strange forces that created the land still ferment that terrain, twisting the creatures that reside within the area and imbuing them with strange features. While most of the beings that exist within the boarders of the Dead Lands are animated corpses, the few creatures that are living in the obsidian wasteland have become more savage and deadly over the centuries.
The morterren asp is a prime example of this. Larger then most other snakes, these creatures have thick, obsidian-like scales that ward its flesh from the shards of obsidian it slithers over. On average, they measure anywhere from four to six feet in length and are usually three to six inches thick. Like most snakes, the morterren asp is cold-blooded and therefore it is almost never encountered at night, though there are those who will venture into the Dead Lands to try find one of these creatures den in order to harvest the creatures poison and hide, both items demanding high prices in any market.
Most of these serpents live on the boarder of the Dead Lands, relishing in the abyssal heat conditions found there. They are found within the surrounding countryside as well, fore there is very little to eat within the obsidian wasteland and so the creature will venture forth to hunt for its food. Unlike most creatures though, the morterren asp enjoys killing and will sometimes stalk and kill a creature just for the perverse pleasure it gets from doing so. If it kills a creature to large for it to swallow whole, the morterren asp will use its psi-like ability of exhalation of the braxat to render its meal down into pieces it may swallow.
Combat
While the morterren asp does hunt for food, they also kill for pleasure. The morterren asp is a cunning and dangerous creature that will observe their prey before deciding to strike. They make full use of their psi-like abilities, using thicken skin and hustle before entering combat and softening up foes with a few strikes of ego whip or exhalation of the braxat. While their hard obsidian-like skin is able to ward off some damage, if confronted with powerful foes the morterren asp will try to flee by using ectoplasmic form.
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a morterren asp deals 1d6+3 points of damage.
Immunity to Negative Energy (Ex): The energies that created the Dead Lands have had very strong impact on those creatures that inhabit the area. As such, the morterren asp is immune to all effects that use negative energy such as energy drain from undead or spells such as enervation, ray of enfeeblement, or any inflict spell.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a morterren asp must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Potent Venom (Ex): The toxic poison of the morterren asp is in of the more potent in Athas. As such the DC is increased by +4 and the onset time of the secondary damage is only two rounds.
Poison (Ex): The morterren asp has a poisonous bite that has very dehabilitating effects. Primary damage is 3d6 points of temporary Strength damage and 2d6 points of temporary Dexterity damage (DC 25 to half damage and no secondary), and secondary damage is complete paralysis which lasts for 2d6+8 minutes (onset time two rounds). The venom DC is Constitution based.
If harvested, the venom of the morterren asp is worth its weight in gold, fetching around 20 gold pieces in most markets. Its price is due not only to the venoms strength or danger of harvesting it, but also to the fact that morterren asp venom looses its potency very quickly. For every week that passes since the venom was harvested, reduce Strength and Dexterity damage dealt by a d6 and the DC by 4. After two weeks, the venom no longer causes paralysis.
Acclimatized (Sq): The obsidian-like scales that the morterren asp has allows it to survive within the extreme heat that is normal within the Dead Lands. The morterren asp has a fire resistance 1 and is not adversely affected by the abyssal heat conditions found within the Dead Lands. On the other hand, due to its cold-blooded nature and the severe cold found within this terrain, the morterren asp gets very lethargic at night and will always return to its den to avoid the cold. While the creature is in its den, it is not required to make Fortitude save to avoid damage from the cold, but it is very vulnerable to those brave enough to venture into the Dead Lands at night to try to harvest its venom or to capture one alive. At night, when the temperature is cold, the morterren asp receives a -4 to all skill checks and attack rolls and loses its Dexterity bonus to AC.
Obsidian Scales (Sq): The thick, obsidian-like scales of the morterren asp allows it to slither over the jagged shards of obsidian that litters the Dead Lands. This constant rubbing over the stone has smoothed out the scales of this serpent and polished them to a high sheen. Their thick scales has the added benefit of providing the morterren asp with a DR 5/ bludgeoning or metal.
The polished scales of the morterren asp make very sturdy armor and beautiful ordainments. The whole skin of a medium-sized morterren asp will sell for 10 sp in most city-states. To make a set of medium-sized scale armor from this creatures hide requires at least 4 complete skins.
Psi-like Abilities (Ps): 3/day each- thicken skin (+3 to AC), ectoplasmic form, ego whip (DC 15, 2d4 points of Charisma damage, save for half), empty mind (+5 to Will save), exhalation of the braxat (DC 14, 4d6 points of acid damage), hustle. Manifester level 7th. The save DCs are Wisdom based.
Skills: Morterren asps have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. They may also choose to take 10 on a climb check, even if rushed or threatened and also use their Dexterity modifier for Climb checks. Due to their thick obsidian-like skin, morterren asps sink like rocks in silt or water and receive a -6 penalty on all Swim checks
Captivity: After millennia of exposure to the twisted energies that infect the Dead Lands, the morterren asp is incapable of surviving for any prolonged span of time far from those blasted obsidian plains. If a morterren asp is some how captured and is contained in a way that prevents it from using its psi-like abilities, the serpent will die within two weeks of leaving the area.
See Pennarin- I can take suggestions :P
Morterren Asp
Large magical beast (psionic)
Hit Dice: 7d10+28 (66 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft.(4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
AC: 18 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12 , flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/ +17
Attacks: Bite +12 melee (1d6+9 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +12/+7 (1d6+9 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Constrict , improved grab, poison, psi-like abilities
Special Qualities: Acclimatized, immunity to negative energy, obsidian skin, scent.
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Balance 14, Climb 16, Hide 10, Listen 7, Spot 7, Survival 4
Feats: Ability Focus (venom), Improved Ability Focus (venom), Improved Natural Weapon (bite)
Environment: Dead Lands
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: none
Alignment: Neutral/Evil
Advancement: 8-12 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: ---
Before you, you can hear a faint sound like two stones rubbing against one another, though you can see noting moving in the obsidian wasteland known as the Dead Lands. Then you hear it again, though now it is behind you. As you twirl around and unsheathe your bone sword, you see a smooth black-skinned serpent rise up from the obsidian behind you. It’s eyes glare at you with cold malice and the serpent gives you a short hiss as it’s huge maw opens to reveal twin fangs as wide as your hand. As you raise up your shield and draw back your arm to swing, the creature’s eyes gleam brightly for just a second and the creature leaps at you faster then any normal creature could move. The serpent locks it vise-like jaws on your shoulder and swiftly wraps it’s longish body around you and squeezes. Then you feel the cold numbing sensation that sweeps through your body as the creature’s venom races through your veins, locking your body tight and sapping your strength. You topple from the snake’s weight and it smoothly uncoils it’s body from around you. As the venom rushes to your heart and begins to still it’s wild rush of beating, you gaze upon the snake, a morterren asp your mind calmly recalls , as it coils in a pile before you, watching with an evil intellect as the last spark of life fades from your eyes.
Over the millennia since the Dead Lands were formed, the strange forces that created the land still ferment that terrain, twisting the creatures that reside within the area and imbuing them with strange features. While most of the beings that exist within the boarders of the Dead Lands are animated corpses, the few creatures that are living in the obsidian wasteland have become more savage and deadly over the centuries.
The morterren asp is a prime example of this. Larger then most other snakes, these creatures have thick, obsidian-like scales that ward its flesh from the shards of obsidian it slithers over. On average, they measure anywhere from six to ten feet in length and are usually five to nine inches thick. Like most snakes, the morterren asp is cold-blooded and therefore it is almost never encountered at night, though there are those who will venture into the Dead Lands to try find one of these creatures den in order to harvest the creatures poison and hide, both items demanding high prices in any market.
Most of these serpents live on the boarder of the Dead Lands, relishing in the abyssal heat conditions found there. They are found within the surrounding countryside as well, fore there is very little to eat within the obsidian wasteland and so the creature will venture forth to hunt for its food. Unlike most creatures though, the morterren asp enjoys killing and will sometimes stalk and kill a creature just for the perverse pleasure it gets from doing so. If it kills a creature to large for it to swallow whole, the morterren asp will use its psi-like ability of exhalation of the braxat to render its meal down into pieces it may swallow.
Combat
While the morterren asp does hunt for food, they also kill for pleasure. The morterren asp is a cunning and dangerous creature that will observe their prey before deciding to strike. They make full use of their psi-like abilities, using thicken skin and hustle before entering combat and softening up foes with a few strikes of ego whip or exhalation of the braxat. While their hard obsidian-like skin is able to ward off some damage, if confronted with powerful foes the morterren asp will try to flee by using ectoplasmic form.
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a morterren asp deals 1d4+9 points of damage.
Immunity to Negative Energy (Ex): The energies that created the Dead Lands have had very strong impact on those creatures that inhabit the area. As such, the morterren asp is immune to all effects that use negative energy such as energy drain from undead or spells such as enervation, ray of enfeeblement, or any inflict spell.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a morterren asp must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Potent Venom (Ex): The toxic poison of the morterren asp is in of the more potent in Athas. As such the DC is increased by +4 and the onset time of the secondary damage is only two rounds.
Poison (Ex): The morterren asp has a poisonous bite that has very dehabilitating effects. Primary damage is 3d6 points of temporary Strength damage and 2d6 points of temporary Dexterity damage (DC 25 to half damage and no secondary), and secondary damage is complete paralysis which lasts for 2d6+8 minutes (onset time two rounds). The venom DC is Constitution based.
If harvested, the venom of the morterren asp is worth its weight in gold, fetching around 20 gold pieces in most markets. Its price is due not only to the venoms strength or danger of harvesting it, but also to the fact that morterren asp venom looses its potency very quickly. For every week that passes since the venom was harvested, reduce Strength and Dexterity damage dealt by a d6 and the DC by 4. After two weeks, the venom no longer causes paralysis.
Acclimatized (Sq): The obsidian-like scales that the morterren asp has allows it to survive within the extreme heat that is normal within the Dead Lands. The morterren asp has a fire resistance 1 and is not adversely affected by the abyssal heat conditions found within the Dead Lands. On the other hand, due to its cold-blooded nature and the severe cold found within this terrain, the morterren asp gets very lethargic at night and will always return to its den to avoid the cold. While the creature is in its den, it is not required to make Fortitude save to avoid damage from the cold, but it is very vulnerable to those brave enough to venture into the Dead Lands at night to try to harvest its venom or to capture one alive. At night, when the temperature is cold, the morterren asp receives a -4 to all skill checks and attack rolls and loses its Dexterity bonus to AC.
Obsidian Scales (Sq): The thick, obsidian-like scales of the morterren asp allows it to slither over the jagged shards of obsidian that litters the Dead Lands. This constant rubbing over the stone has smoothed out the scales of this serpent and polished them to a high sheen. Their thick scales has the added benefit of providing the morterren asp with a DR 5/ bludgeoning or metal.
The polished scales of the morterren asp can be used to make sets of superb scale armor and many beautiful ordainments. The skin of a large specimen sells for 30 gp in most city-states and can be used to make scale mail armor for one medium creature (or two small-sized sets), while a huge specimen can sell for 70 gp and can be used to make scale mail armor for one large creature (or two medium-sized, or four small-sized). Morterren asp scale mail armor costs an additional +5,300 Cp to manufacture and is always of masterwork quality, the masterwork cost being included in the price. The armor provides DR 2/bludgeoning or metal, and its armor check penalty is lessened by 1.
Psi-like Abilities (Ps): 3/day each- thicken skin (+3 to AC), ectoplasmic form, ego whip (DC 15, 2d4 points of Charisma damage, save for half), empty mind (+5 to Will save), exhalation of the braxat (DC 14, 4d6 points of acid damage), hustle. Manifester level 7th. The save DCs are Wisdom based. *All powers are augmented for manifester level.
Skills: Morterren asps have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. They may also choose to take 10 on a climb check, even if rushed or threatened and also use their Dexterity or Strength modifier for Climb checks, which ever is higher. Due to their thick obsidian-like skin, morterren asps sink like rocks in silt or water and receive a -6 penalty on all Swim checks
Captivity: After millennia of exposure to the twisted energies that infect the Dead Lands, the morterren asp is incapable of surviving for any prolonged span of time far from those blasted obsidian plains. If a morterren asp is some how captured and is contained in a way that prevents it from using its psi-like abilities, the serpent will die within two weeks of leaving the area.
Neat snake idea. I have a few questions: does the scales of the morterren asp count as a "special" material and would armor made from this creatures hide be automatically considered masterworked? Would it provide the wearer a reduced form of DR? And can they only be advanced to Huge or can they naturally grow bigger?
Thanks- As for your questions
1) I would think that yes the scales would be considered special material and the armor made from them would be considered MW, but only for determining if they could be enchanted- I do not think it would automatically give the reduced armor check penalty.
2) DR would be a cool feature of the armor- If I were to do something like that though, I would make the DR 2/- and mayne also change the DR of the asp as well- I will think about it- Pennarin, do you have any thoughts on this?
3) As for the size- I suppose that they could get bigger, but I would shy away from doing so due to the nature of the critter and the limited food supply they have in the area.
Thanks again.
Making the armor considered masterwork for the purpose of enchantment is a good idea too.
Now its been a very long time since I looked at special materials. Can you recall any that gives DR or is considered masterwork for the purpose of enchantment?
Since mundane armor is mundane, I'd go for DR 1/bludgeoning or metal, just like the asp.
Making the armor considered masterwork for the purpose of enchantment is a good idea too.
Now its been a very long time since I looked at special materials. Can you recall any that gives DR or is considered masterwork for the purpose of enchantment?
Adamantine (DS named Dwarf-steel) gives DR based on armor type and is considered MW for enchantment purposes as is mirthral.
I could always change the DR of the asp to 2/-, and make the armor half that DR 1/-, but I like the DR is has- makes it more unique IMO.
Mmm, I'm reading the adamantine entry. Ok, you could say morterren asp hide can be used to create scale mail that works in all ways as adamantine. What this means is that the DR will be 2, the armor will cost a fix additional damage in the thousands, etc etc, all like medium armor made from adamantine.
One thing though: keep the DR/bludgeoning or metal, and adjust the price by 20% less to reflect that the DR does not apply to all attacks.
Adamantine, as a mineral, is no longer availlable on Athas, so morterren asp scales would be the only availlable replacement to produce new armor just as good.
I've compiled the changes below (note: the additonal hp amounts to 0 so I didn't mention them, and I based the armor sizes vs animal hide sizes on the dragon armor entry in Draconomicon):
The obsidian-like scales of the morterren asp make for superior scale armor and beautiful ordainments. The skin of a large specimen sells for xx sp in most city-states and can be used to make scale mail armor for one medium creature (or two small ones), while a huge specimen sells for xx sp and can be used to make scale mail armor for one large creature (or two medium ones, or four small ones). Morterren asp scale mail armor costs an additional +8,000 Cp to manufacture and is always of masterwork quality, the masterwork cost being included in the price. The armor provides DR 2/bludgeoning or metal, and its armor check penalty is lessened by 1.
Here is a alternitive. I took the +10,000 for adamantine medium armor, divided by 3 due to the DR 3/- it gives. Multiplied that by 2 for a DR 2 and then took off 20% for the bludgeoning or metal. Comes out to +5,333 and I would say that +5,300 would be reasonable.
As for the price of the skins, well I think that sp is too low now, looking at how much the armor can go for. So I would up the price to 30 gp for a large, 70 gp for a huge.
I think I will use most of your paragraph- of course I may make a few changes- you know me Pennarin- I have to make everything my own :D .
What are others' opinion on this?
3,000-7,000 Cp (30-70 gp) for a pelt is an incredible price Kal.
What are others' opinion on this?
I was making a calculation based on the price of said armor. These types of armor and the vemon of the creatures would be exceedingly rare due to the danger involved in getting the materials.
I am open to suggestions, but silver seemed too low seeing the price of the armor.
Here is a revised paragraph I input into the critter above- thanks Penn for the majority of the re-write on this paragraph.
The polished scales of the morterren asp can be used to make sets of superb scale armor and many beautiful ordainments. The skin of a large specimen sells for 30 gp in most city-states and can be used to make scale mail armor for one medium creature (or two small-sized sets), while a huge specimen can sell for 70 gp and can be used to make scale mail armor for one large creature (or two medium-sized, or four small-sized). Morterren asp scale mail armor costs an additional +5,300 Cp to manufacture and is always of masterwork quality, the masterwork cost being included in the price. The armor provides DR 2/bludgeoning or metal, and its armor check penalty is lessened by 1.
I would like to know what others think of the pricing for the morterren asp sclaes- ie the raw materials before it is made into armor. Too high? Too low? What?
Does anyone have anything else they would like to throw in for this critter before I mark it fianl and put it at the top of the thread?
I would like to know what others think of the pricing for the morterren asp sclaes- ie the raw materials before it is made into armor. Too high? Too low? What?
It's panning out to be quite an interesting little beastie. I do think that the CR is too high, though. CR 9 includes creatures such as dragon turtles, bone devils, giant squids and green slaadi. The asp is clearly not in the same league as these guys. I would say that 4 or 5 is a better CR for the creature; try 5 and see how that plays - adjust down if needed.
To be really nit-picky, the descriptive text at the beginning needs to be shorter and a little more generic. It should describe the appearance or obvious activity of the creature, as opposed to an actual encounter with one. And it shouldn't name the creature either. And to be really, really nit-picky, the names of the psi-like abilities should be italicized, the constrict ability should list the damage in the stat block as well as in the text, "obsidian skin" in the stat-block should be renamed "obsidian scales" to match the text (or the other way around), and the Obsidian Scales and Acclimatized abilities have (Sq) after them. What is this? It should be (Ex) (unless there is a new ability type that I have missed...) Oh, and technically because the asp has a Swim speed, it should have that entry in Skills about having a +8 racial bonus to Swim checks and always being able to take 10, but I guess you could drop that in light of the "sinks like a stone" stuff, should you so wish. Other than that, I think it's pretty cool - I'd definitely use one of these in my game if the PCs were ever dumb enough to head into the Obsidian Planes ;)...
Undead Carrion Eater (Ex): The morterren asp is capable of safely eating undead carrion, in fact must do so to maintain some of its abilities. For the purpose of its poison and exude undeath abilities, the asp must ingest undead flesh equivalent to a Medium-sized zombie every week or lose the use of its exude undeath ability and see its poison revert to its original potency. Due to its lifelong ingestion of undead carrion, the morterren asp is immune to natural and supernatural diseases.
Exude Undeath (Su): After ingesting undead carrion the morterren asp exudes invisible negative energy for a period of one week, making nonintelligent undead perceive it as a fellow undead creature, ignoring it. Intelligent undead may question whether the asp is actually undead, and can make a Spot check to determine the truth, at a -5 penalty.
While this ability is active, inflict spells heal the asp while cure spells hurt it. The asp is treated as if it were undead for the purpose of all spells and effects. A successful turn (or rebuke) attempt against an undead of its Hit Dice requires it to make a Will saving throw (DC 10 + cleric or templar’s Charisma modifier) or be panicked (or cowering) for 10 rounds. A turn attempt that would destroy (or command) undead of its Hit Dice requires it to make a Will saving throw (DC 15 + cleric or templar’s Charisma modifier) or be stunned (or charmed as with charm person) for 10 rounds.
Poison (Ex): A morterren asp has a poisonous bite that has the potential to be one of the most potent on Athas. Immediately after ingesting undead carrion, the asp’s poison reaches its maximum potency, which slowly declines within the following days, as shown on the table below. An asp of Huge size adds x to the DC of its poison. The save DC is Constitution-based.
I have been having some drama with the group I DM- some of the players do not want to play anymore because they now realize that this is not like a regular D&D game- it is the hardest and most savage setting ever made and sometimes even the heros die extremely ugle and somewhat unfairly- So I have not had the time or energy to spend on extra writing- but I promise that I will soon finish this critter and move on to the Obsidian Man and Galdra.
...it is the hardest and most savage setting ever made and sometimes even the heros die extremely ugle and somewhat unfairly...
No, that would be the Orrorsh realm in the Torg game. But DS is somewhere near the top of the list for sure... ;)
Ones area I did not change so far is the opening paragraph- I really like it and have not come up with anything that I like better that would fall in line with Kamelion's suggestion.
I think I will play test this critter in my next session just to see how a group of 7th level (on average) PCs handle it and the CR may be adjusted.
Morterren Asp
Large magical beast (psionic)
Hit Dice: 7d10+28 (66 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft.(4 squares), climb 20 ft.
AC: 18 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +6 natural), touch 12 , flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/ +17
Attacks: Bite +12 melee (1d6+9 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +12/+7 (1d6+9 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d4+9 , improved grab, poison, psi-like abilities
Special Qualities: Acclimatized, immunity to negative energy, obsidian scales, scent.
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +8, Will +3
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 7, Wis 13, Cha 6
Skills: Balance +14, Climb +16, Hide +10 (+16 in obsidian plains), Listen +7, Spot +7, Survival +4
Feats: Ability Focus (venom), Improved Ability Focus (venom), Improved Natural Weapon (bite)
Environment: Dead Lands
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: none
Alignment: Neutral/Evil
Advancement: 8-12 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: ---
Before you, you can hear a faint sound like two stones rubbing against one another, though you can see noting moving in the obsidian wasteland known as the Dead Lands. Then you hear it again, though now it is behind you. As you twirl around and unsheathe your bone sword, you see a smooth black-skinned serpent rise up from the obsidian behind you. It’s eyes glare at you with cold malice and the serpent gives you a short hiss as it’s huge maw opens to reveal twin fangs as wide as your hand. As you raise up your shield and draw back your arm to swing, the creature’s eyes gleam brightly for just a second and the creature leaps at you faster then any normal creature could move. The serpent locks it vise-like jaws on your shoulder and swiftly wraps it’s longish body around you and squeezes. Then you feel the cold numbing sensation that sweeps through your body as the creature’s venom races through your veins, locking your body tight and sapping your strength. You topple from the snake’s weight and it smoothly uncoils it’s body from around you. As the venom rushes to your heart and begins to still it’s wild rush of beating, you gaze upon the snake, a morterren asp your mind calmly recalls , as it coils in a pile before you, watching with an evil intellect as the last spark of life fades from your eyes.
Over the millennia since the Dead Lands were formed, the strange forces that created the land still ferment that terrain, twisting the creatures that reside within the area and imbuing them with strange features. While most of the beings that exist within the boarders of the Dead Lands are animated corpses, the few creatures that are living in the obsidian wasteland have become more savage and deadly over the centuries.
The morterren asp is a prime example of this. Larger then most other snakes, these creatures have thick, obsidian-like scales that ward its flesh from the shards of obsidian it slithers over. On average, they measure anywhere from six to ten feet in length and are usually five to nine inches thick. Like most snakes, the morterren asp is cold-blooded and therefore it is almost never encountered at night, though there are those who will venture into the Dead Lands to try find one of these creatures den in order to harvest the creatures poison and hide, both items demanding high prices in any market.
Most of these serpents live on the boarder of the Dead Lands, relishing in the abyssal heat conditions found there. They are found within the surrounding countryside as well, fore there is very little to eat within the obsidian wasteland and so the creature will venture forth to hunt for its food. Unlike most creatures though, the morterren asp enjoys killing and will sometimes stalk and kill a creature just for the perverse pleasure it gets from doing so. If it kills a creature to large for it to swallow whole, the morterren asp will use its psi-like ability of exhalation of the braxat to render its meal down into pieces it may swallow.
Combat
While the morterren asp does hunt for food, they also kill for pleasure. The morterren asp is a cunning and dangerous creature that will observe their prey before deciding to strike. They make full use of their psi-like abilities, using thicken skin and hustle before entering combat and softening up foes with a few strikes of ego whip or exhalation of the braxat. While their hard obsidian-like skin is able to ward off some damage, if confronted with powerful foes the morterren asp will try to flee by using ectoplasmic form.
Constrict (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a morterren asp deals 1d4+9 points of damage.
Immunity to Negative Energy (Ex): The energies that created the Dead Lands have had very strong impact on those creatures that inhabit the area. As such, the morterren asp is immune to all effects that use negative energy such as energy drain from undead or spells such as enervation, ray of enfeeblement, or any inflict spell.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a morterren asp must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.
Potent Venom (Ex): The toxic poison of the morterren asp is in of the more potent in Athas. As such the DC is increased by +4 and the onset time of the secondary damage is only two rounds.
Poison (Ex): The morterren asp has a poisonous bite that has very dehabilitating effects. Primary damage is 3d4 points of temporary Strength damage and 2d4 points of temporary Dexterity damage (DC 25 to half damage and no secondary), and secondary damage is complete paralysis which lasts for 1d4+2 rounds (onset time two rounds). The venom DC is Constitution based.
If harvested, the venom of the morterren asp is worth its weight in gold, fetching around 20 gold pieces in most markets. Its price is due not only to the venoms strength or danger of harvesting it, but also to the fact that morterren asp venom looses its potency very quickly. For every week that passes since the venom was harvested, reduce Strength and Dexterity damage dealt by a d6 and the DC by 4 and the onset time is 5 rounds. After two weeks, the venom no longer causes paralysis and the onset time is one minute.
Acclimatized (Ex): The obsidian-like scales that the morterren asp has allows it to survive within the extreme heat that is normal within the Dead Lands. The morterren asp has a fire resistance 1 and is not adversely affected by the abyssal heat conditions found within the Dead Lands. On the other hand, due to its cold-blooded nature and the severe cold found within this terrain, the morterren asp gets very lethargic at night and will always return to its den to avoid the cold. While the creature is in its den, it is not required to make Fortitude save to avoid damage from the cold, but it is very vulnerable to those brave enough to venture into the Dead Lands at night to try to harvest its venom or to capture one alive. At night, when the temperature is cold, the morterren asp receives a -4 to all skill checks and attack rolls and loses its Dexterity bonus to AC.
Obsidian Scales (Ex): The thick, obsidian-like scales of the morterren asp allows it to slither over the jagged shards of obsidian that litters the Dead Lands. This constant rubbing over the stone has smoothed out the scales of this serpent and polished them to a high sheen. Their thick scales has the added benefit of providing the morterren asp with a DR 5/ bludgeoning or metal.
The polished scales of the morterren asp can be used to make sets of superb scale armor and many beautiful ordainments. The skin of a large specimen sells for 30 gp in most city-states and can be used to make scale mail armor for one medium creature (or two small-sized sets), while a huge specimen can sell for 70 gp and can be used to make scale mail armor for one large creature (or two medium-sized, or four small-sized). Morterren asp scale mail armor costs an additional +5,300 Cp to manufacture and is always of masterwork quality, the masterwork cost being included in the price. The armor provides DR 2/bludgeoning or metal, and its armor check penalty is lessened by 1.
Psi-like Abilities (Ps): 3/day each- thicken skin (+3 to AC), ectoplasmic form, ego whip (DC 15, 2d4 points of Charisma damage, save for half), empty mind (+5 to Will save), exhalation of the braxat (DC 14, 4d6 points of acid damage), hustle. Manifester level 7th. The save DCs are Wisdom based. *All powers are augmented for manifester level.
Skills: Morterren asps have a +4 racial bonus on Hide (+10 in obsidian plains) , Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. They may also choose to take 10 on a climb check, even if rushed or threatened and also use their Dexterity or Strength modifier for Climb checks, which ever is higher. Due to their thick obsidian-like skin, morterren asps sink like rocks in silt or water and receive a -6 penalty on all Swim checks
Captivity: After millennia of exposure to the twisted energies that infect the Dead Lands, the morterren asp is incapable of surviving for any prolonged span of time far from those blasted obsidian plains. If a morterren asp is some how captured and is contained in a way that prevents it from using its psi-like abilities, the serpent will die within two weeks of leaving the area.
Ready to adjust that CR yet, Kal? You know, considering two-thirds of our party got reduced to drooling morons by that venom? :D
Why are you crying- you did not even get hit by them- And there was only three of you and two of the asps. If you all had better spot checks then the second one would not have gotten the drop on you guys. :P
Okay- I had an official playtest of this critter this weekend and after some thought I have decided to decrease the ability damage to d4's- the CR will stay the same though.
Why are you crying- you did not even get hit by them- And there was only three of you and two of the asps. If you all had better spot checks then the second one would not have gotten the drop on you guys. :P
Okay- I had an official playtest of this critter this weekend and after some thought I have decided to decrease the ability damage to d4's- the CR will stay the same though.
Yeah, either you took pity on me after that one combat with the Defiler and the ray of enfeeblement, or you rightfully figured out I'd have a total emotional breakdown if that sucker bit my character.
Glad you decided to tone down the ability damage, though. That was pretty rough.
The day you quit turning your back the sun, is the day that it may protects and empowers you with strength [against snakes]
- Super Zealous Sun Cleric out.
J/K please don't inflict moderate wounds
No, you'll recall I praised the sun AFTER that combat. Plus I was just sucking up to Baranus. I didn't mean it. :P
J/K please don't inflict moderate wounds
This is true -- but the sun could sense your true feelings before your verbal praise and it must have protected you.
However, it appears you have double crossed and only abused it's blessing for personal gain.
You can not hide, the sun watches your actions and one day you shall pay for your wicked ways. The sun gives and takes life, it's creates the world that we see and live in. With out it's guidence, all of the other elements would stand useless and with out unity. It's binding might keeps all of Athas together and alive. It would be a cold, dark, and lifeless world with out the sun; a world in which you may not even had oppurtunity to be born into.
You owe your life to the blessings it has bestown upon you.
It demands respect and accepts payment thru it's searing rays. It will burn you down and siphon the life out of your dry worthless bones. Only thru praise of it's glory can you become at harmony with the sun's almighty power and harness it's strength as one of it's followers.
You've been warned for the last time, human. The sun wills all things to happen according to it's wishes. Do not live a life that will lead to regret.
Folks, this has been but a taste of what I have to deal with every single session. Freakboy9 attacks his role with a certain exuberance.
Sounds like he is scamming for bonus roleplaying XP to me and doing a fine job of it I must say.
As you can tell, freakboy9 playes a dwarven sun cleric and is not afraid to show his true feelings. He does role-play his character to the hilt though- one reason he is a level higher then the others in the group Vaulx [insert hint here]. I have been able to strike this dwarf totally speachless a few times- once was with that crazy air cleric that only would talk about birds for like 80 secnds and then would shut up (that was funny).
The game before this one- the two of them actually drew weapons and attacked on another- one hit each. I thought for sure it was going to end up with one of them making a new PC.
Yeahhhhh- This is my life!
As you can tell, freakboy9 playes a dwarven sun cleric and is not afraid to show his true feelings. He does role-play his character to the hilt though- one reason he is a level higher then the others in the group Vaulx [insert hint here].
The extra level wouldn't be worth the annoyance to the other players. ;)
I was thinking about changing the paralysis caused to somethig like a slowing effect. And, and this will be a big change- maybe big enough to warrent making the ability damage d6's again- but I was thinking that a creature effected with this venom may - for that creature and for a specified amount of time, only be effected by the posion once- save or fail attitional bites would not stack or cause additional damage for like 8 hours or something.
Thoughts?