Nightmare Beast, Athasian
Huge Magical Beast (Psionic)
Hit Dice: 15d10+120 (202 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 22 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +12 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+33
Attack: Claw +23 melee (2d6+10)
Full Attack: 2 claws +23 melee (2d6+10) and 2 horns +21 melee (2d9+5) and bite +21 melee (6d6+5)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Psi-like abilities, spell-like abilities, trample 2d8+15
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 15/magic, lowlight vision, SR 15
Saves: Fort +17, Ref +11, Will +6
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 14, Con 27, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +15, Jump +14, Listen +10, Spot +10, Survival +10
Feats: Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved Overrun, Multiattack, Power Attack
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 16-30 HD (Gargantuan); 31-45 HD (Colossal)
An immense horror on four clawed legs, this titanic beast is covered in a thick, leathery hide of mottled blue and gray. A pair of enormous curving tusks flank jaws that sport teeth the length of shortswords, with canines twice that size. Its eyes blaze with a lurid crimson light and fix you with a gaze that seethes with grim cunning.
A nightmare beast is one of the most feared creatures on the face of Athas. Rumored to have been created in ages past through the use of vile defiler magics, nightmare beasts are intelligent monstrosities possessing powerful psionic and magical abilities. Dominated by their voracious appetites, nightmare beasts divide their time between slumbering in their lairs and roaming the land in destructive orgies of all-devouring hunger.
Once thought to number as many as one hundred, there are now believed to be as few as half a dozen such creatures left in existence on Athas. Nevertheless, the appearance of a nightmare beast spells disaster for any inhabitants in the area as, when it is active, a nightmare beast’s main purpose is to feed itself. When active, a nightmare beast will alternate between resting in its lair for six hours and then hunting for six hours and maintains this cycle of activity for weeks on end. When this alternating cycle is complete, the nightmare beast will return to its lair for as long as a year, before emerging once more to begin the hunting cycle again.
The intelligence possessed by nightmare beasts, coupled with their devastating array of offensive powers, has led many sages to speculate that these creatures were bred for some long-forgotten war. Indeed, when threatened, a nightmare beast displays an uncanny degree of cunning and will often concentrate its powers specifically on those whom it feels have earned its vengeance.
A nightmare beast is omnivorous, and will not shirk from attacking fortified structures in order to reach its prey. Lore has it, however, that a nightmare beast will refrain from attacking drakes, megapedes or dragons. Everything else is fair game.
When slain, a nightmare beast’s body decays at an unnaturally fast rate; it is believed that the magical energies that created it dissipate upon its death, leading to a sudden degeneration of its corpse. The horns, claws and teeth of a nightmare beast are sought after as the source of excellent weaponry and rumors persist that its horns can be used as the ingredient in a paste with powers similar to (but far more potent than) esperweed.
A nightmare beast stands 20 feet tall and is twice as long. It weighs 4,000 pounds.
Combat
Capable of crushing entire armies, a nightmare beast makes for a truly fearsome opponent. It typically chooses its most devastating attacks and unleashes these immediately, seeking to destroy its foes as swiftly as possible. Its large-scale spell-like abilities, such as fireball and chain lightning are favorite opening salvos, followed by attacks that target specific foes, such as psionic disintegrate, psychic crush and enervation. This latter attack is believed by many to be a specialized version of the draconic ability to drain life energy. All of a nightmare beast’s spell-like abilities are accompanied by a defiling radius, and the creature uses this fact to its advantage wherever possible.
The nightmare beast draws its name from its unique version of the nightmare spell. Able to use this ability against both sleeping and waking targets, the nightmare beast often unleashes it on spell casters or psionic manifesters in the middle of combat and then abruptly departs through use of its psionic teleport power. It then returns the next day to devour these targets, who have consequently been unable to recover any spells or psionic power points in the intervening time.
A nightmare beast chooses the disposition and terrain of serious battles wherever possible. As noted above, it uses psionic teleport to come and go freely, conceals its activities and motivations using psionic mind blank and makes use of planar ally to summon creatures from other planes to fight for it or carry out its bidding.
Should it come to melee combat, the nightmare beast rears up on its hind legs and strikes with its slashing foreclaws. If these are not sufficient to fell its enemies, it follows up with a powerful bite and seeks to impale its foes on its two curving horns.
Psi-like Abilities: At will – biofeedback (DR 6/-*), danger sense (+4 bonus, improved uncanny dodge*), ego whip (4d4 Cha, DC 18*), id insinuation (7 targets, DC 18*), inflict pain (7 targets, DC 18*), intellect fortress (9 rounds*), matter agitation, mental barrier (+6 AC, 11 rounds*), mind thrust (15d10, DC 18*), psionic blast (6 rounds*), psionic disintegrate (30d6, DC 16*), psionic mind blank, psionic teleport, psychic crush (6d6, DC 15*), telekinetic thrust (500 lb., DC 13*), teleport trigger, thought shield (PR 25, 13 rounds*), tower of iron will (PR 25, 7 rounds*). Manifester level 15th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
*Includes augmentation for the nightmare beast’s manifester level.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will – nightmare (DC 15*), planar ally; 3/day – chain lightning (DC 16), cloudkill (DC 15), dispel magic, enervation, fireball (DC 13), incendiary cloud (DC 18), lightning bolt (DC 13), wall of fire. Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.†
*The nightmare beast’s version of nightmare can be used freely on targets that are awake as well as those asleep. The nightmare beast does not need to enter a trance to affect a waking target. A waking target suffers the effects of this spell the next time he sleeps. A dispel evil cast on the target of this spell will not stun the nightmare beast. Only a heal spell will remove the effect of the nightmare.
†All of these spell-like abilities use defiling magic and generate a defiling radius. The radius is 5 ft. x equivalent level of the spell-like ability. Creatures except the nightmare beast caught within the defiling radius when the spell-like ability is used experience pain and suffer a -1 penalty to attack rolls, skill checks and saves, lasting one round. Plant creatures also suffer 2 hp damage x equivalent level of the spell-like ability. The nightmare beast cannot extend the “casting time” of these abilities in order to boost its caster level, nor do the effects of terrain modifiers apply to these abilities.
Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 27. The save DC is Strength-based.
Notes, thoughts and questions
1. Is DR 15/magic and metal too tough - should the DR be just 15/magic? (Changed to 15/magic).
2. Is the CR too low?
3. No psionic equivalent to summon planar creature. Used planar ally instead.
4. Spell-like abilities were 2/day in 2e. 3e standards are 1/day or 3/day, hence the change.
5. Drain life ability replaced by envervation.
(Edited for feedback).
I'll read it right away, and edit this post with my comments later, but I also wanted to know if there is going to be an athasian lion included. (I know this was discussed before but I can't remember what the conclusion, if any, was.)
I have no plans to do an Athasian lion at the moment. This is because they don't feature in any of the 2e material and there is no real information that tells us how they would differ from a regular lion. A dire lion should cover it. (With the nightmare beast, I was just intrigued by the idea of making one that was really close to the 2e version as the MM2 nightmare beast is quite different - the same goes for the cloud ray and the megapede) - it may not even end up getting included in ToA if it is deemed superfluous
They are described as having tusks jutting out of their jaws, and the MMII supports that in their attack modes, but you indicate they have horns and not tusks in the attack modes.
1. Is DR 15/magic and metal too tough - should the DR be just 15/magic?
A bit, yeah. DR15/magic is better.
3. No psionic equivalent to summon planar creature. Used planar ally instead.
Astral Constructs could also work; have to addapt to the times. :D
5. Drain life ability replaced by envervation.
Give it the Life-draning Radius class ability of the Leech PrC, that should do it.
DR15/magic is better.
Yeah, it was "+1 or better" in 2e anyhow - I just get carried away with adding DR/metal to everything :D. Makes sense to keep it to DR 15/magic.
Astral Constructs could also work; have to addapt to the times.
Not so sure about this - I wanted to keep the idea of summoning outsiders, as opposed to creating constructs. More variety with the planar creatures, even including the construct menus
. Still, it's a possibilty worth keeping in mind...Give it the Life-draning Radius class ability of the Leech PrC, that should do it.
Well, the old drain life energy actually drained levels from your character, so I figured that enervation was the closest match. The Leech ability just does damage, not level drain.
You mention that legend says it refrains from attacking dragons. It should be "the Dragon" instead. Even if Borys is dead, its what legend says, and anyways people do not know there are many dragons.
Yeah, I changed that. You make a good point though, but I'm not sure about referring to the Dragon in a post-Prism Pentad context. Mind you, when Dregoth comes to Raam, he is mistaken by some for Borys, so I guess "Dragon" instead of "dragons" could work...
They are described as having tusks jutting out of their jaws, and the MMII supports that in their attack modes, but you indicate they have horns and not tusks in the attack modes.
Terrors of the Desert calls them "tusk-like horns on their heads", not their jaws, and later (when detailing its combat abilities) just calls them "horns". I went with horns in the end - MM2 seemed off-base on this one to me.
Oh, you might also add a Tainted Aura like for the Leech and Arch Defiler, makes it more scarry.
I am trying to imagine a nightmare beast using Diplomacy or Bluff on someone, penalty or no penalty. "Eat you? Whatever do you mean? No, not at all! Why, I'm not even hungry! Honest!!"Thanks for the feedback, Penn - much appreciated
Even if this brute doesn't get used in ToA, it's cool to have an Athas-specific version knocking about. And it was a treat to convert, too :D...(Edited for additional comment.)
Well, the old drain life energy actually drained levels from your character, so I figured that enervation was the closest match. The Leech ability just does damage, not level drain.
I get your idea, but the level drain was not how it worked for dragons in 2E, which is what the nightmare beast is trying to...mimick. 2E had dragons inflict 1d4 damage per spell lelvel, IIRC. In that way, mimicking the leech is a good option. You might add that creatures killed outright by the damage are turned to ash, taking from the text in the 3E Dragon rules.
You might add that creatures killed outright by the damage are turned to ash, taking from the text in the 3E Dragon rules. <-- Which, btw (I just saw that), does not even mention turning to ash!!
LOL, alright. It does sound funny, although it was not the intent. The part I was interested in was the "People feel uncomfortable and wary when she is present and animals whimper when she approaches."
A Unatural Aura, like that of a MM ghost or wraith might be better. The goal is to make humans uncomfortable and animals freak out and keep at bay, to show the unnaturalness of the beast.
LOL, alright. It does sound funny, although it was not the intent. The part I was interested in was the "People feel uncomfortable and wary when she is present and animals whimper when she approaches."
A Unatural Aura, like that of a MM ghost or wraith might be better. The goal is to make humans uncomfortable and animals freak out and keep at bay, to show the unnaturalness of the beast.
I take your point but I think that 4000 pounds of slavering monstrosity that deals 30d6 disintegrate damage at the blink of an eye will do that on its own ;)
I get your idea, but the level drain was not how it worked for dragons in 2E, which is what the nightmare beast is trying to...mimick. 2E had dragons inflict 1d4 damage per spell lelvel, IIRC. In that way, mimicking the leech is a good option. You might add that creatures killed outright by the damage are turned to ash, taking from the text in the 3E Dragon rules.
You might add that creatures killed outright by the damage are turned to ash, taking from the text in the 3E Dragon rules. <-- Which, btw (I just saw that) does not even mention turning to ash!!
Well, the 2e nightmare beast's drain life energy power was explicitly a level-drain, as opposed to a mimic of the dragons' powers. But I do like the idea of creatures killed by this attack turning to ash - we can see what the general consensus on this is.
Is the CR too low?
With Will +6? Vice versa. 12 at the most.
With Will +6? Vice versa. 12 at the most.
It's a pretty low save, but MM2 has the same save and puts the creature at CR 15 (although lots of the other CRs in MM2 seem off). Do you think that its other abilities offset this single low stat? Anyone else have any thoughts on this point? It's a valid issue.
Your not carrying over the augmented critical from the MMII version? That was one of the sicker abilities in that conversion.
You like that, eh? I didn't bother with it, true, but it might be kinda cool to give the creature a bit more combat oomph. It equates to three bonus Improved Critical feats, one each for claw, bite and horn. If I were to include it, I'd give it bonus feats instead of creating a new ability - just a design preference on my part. Anyone else wanna see Improved Criticals for the nightmare beast's natural attacks?
Anyone else wanna see Improved Criticals for the nightmare beast's natural attacks?
I do. Also, it should be an epic monster IMO. Make it the real stuff of nightmares.
I do. Also, it should be an epic monster IMO. Make it the real stuff of nightmares.
You mean make it even bigger? Heh, cool. That would be fun indeed. Almost as much fun as redesigning the squark so it has 32 HD. Maybe even more fun :D...
Seriously, though, I did briefly consider making it an epic beastie, mainly because we are going to need a few knocking about when the epic rules finally come out. I was gonna do an "advanced" version for the epic rules but maybe it's worth cutting loose from the 2e precedent entirely and buffing the thing to krazee levels already...
You mean make it even bigger? Heh, cool. That would be fun indeed. Almost as much fun as redesigning the squark so it has 32 HD. Maybe even more fun :D...
Seriously, though, I did briefly consider making it an epic beastie, mainly because we are going to need a few knocking about when the epic rules finally come out. I was gonna do an "advanced" version for the epic rules but maybe it's worth cutting loose from the 2e precedent entirely and buffing the thing to krazee levels already...
I think thru natural HD advancement and the additions of templates the nightmare beast could be scaled to epic proportions by the individual DM. I don't think there's a need to make them an epic creature. I agree that they should be formidable and down right nasty, but to make them epic right off the bat is uncalled for IMO.
I think thru natural HD advancement and the additions of templates the nightmare beast could be scaled to epic proportions by the individual DM. I don't think there's a need to make them an epic creature. I agree that they should be formidable and down right nasty, but to make them epic right off the bat is uncalled for IMO.
I'm incilned to agree.
Dark Sun, possibly more than any other campaign world, can benefit from remembering that monsters can level too ... not everything you run into is going to be a base-level baddie ...
Any more input on the CR and the Improved Criticals? At present, those would be bonus feats, but if there is going to be one or more powerful versions of this critter, they could be saved for those writeups instead...
What about having two versions? The one above for ToA, and an epic one for the epic rules? Out of the reputed six that still exist, maybe some are stronger than others? Or (going out on a limb a bit) maybe each one is unique. The one above could be one of the weakest of the six, for example. A couple of the others could be of a similar power level, a couple could be somewhere in between, and one or two could be truly epic. Just a thought...
Nice, I like the thought that each of the 6 are different in some sort of way. Be it a template or just advanced HD. I feel that they should be no more powerful than a great wyrm dragon (which are pretty sick). Thats just IMO. An epic and non-epic version would be good for examples on how a DM could design a nightmare beast for their individual campaigns.
Any more input on the CR and the Improved Criticals? At present, those would be bonus feats, but if there is going to be one or more powerful versions of this critter, they could be saved for those writeups instead...
Why have the critical ability as a feat vs. a racial ability of the nightmare beast? At best, the feat is going to give a crit range of 19-20. If you write it as an ability you aren't constrained by the limitations of the feat. As an ability you can define the crit range as you see fit. I'm thinking 18-20 or even 17-20 range.
Question- The DS Monstrous Compendium only states "Now there are believed to be only half a dozen remaining." So So while I am all about beefing and leveling creatures, I think that it would be a travesty to say the there are only, beyond a doubt, six nightmare beasts left. BTW, they could have been talking about the Tablelands only when speaking about the remaining NMB's.
I do like the idea of perhaps having the six, if more people are leaning that way, be totally unique.
Let me first start by saying that I like the nightmare beast, so here is a
Question- The DS Monstrous Compendium only states "Now there are believed to be only half a dozen remaining." So So while I am all about beefing and leveling creatures, I think that it would be a travesty to say the there are only, beyond a doubt, six nightmare beasts left. BTW, they could have been talking about the Tablelands only when speaking about the remaining NMB's.
I do like the idea of perhaps having the six, if more people are leaning that way, be totally unique.
I was planning an adventure hook in which the 6 nightmare beasts would head to some obsure location to mate and spawn more of their kind. Never had the chance use it though.
I was planning an adventure hook in which the 6 nightmare beasts would head to some obsure location to mate and spawn more of their kind. Never had the chance use it though.
Sounds really, really, really dangerous. It would be like busting up a frat kegger during home coming.
Sounds really, really, really dangerous. It would be like busting up a frat kegger during home coming.
Exactly. The gist of the adventure was that the nightmare beasts would be running amok of the Tablelands as they traveled to their mating grounds.
Your not carrying over the augmented critical from the MMII version? That was one of the sicker abilities in that conversion.
(Rubbing hands together vigourously.) I can see it now, artifacts that incorperate the claws of a Nightmare Beast.
Sounds really, really, really dangerous. It would be like busting up a frat kegger during home coming.
What coming, sorry?
Looking at mating nightmare beasts is a very dangerous perversion indeed, but it might have its reasons. Maybe, it is the only way to conceive a dwelf...
When will The Complete Book of Athasian Carnal Knowledge be released?:D
Nightmare Beast, Athasian
Huge Magical Beast (Psionic)
Hit Dice: 15d10+120 (202 hp)
Ok, it is a 3.0e demon, lots of special abilities, high CR em low HD/hp... the HP aren´t to low but a CR 18 creature with 15 HD is a error... I think the Mightmare beast deserves a CR 18 so it deserves more HD...
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 22 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +12 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 20
And a VERY low AC too! It should be at least 30 with CR 18...
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+33
Attack: Claw +23 melee (2d6+10)
Full Attack: 2 claws +23 melee (2d6+10) and 2 horns +21 melee (2d9+5) and bite +21 melee (6d6+5)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Psi-like abilities, spell-like abilities, trample 2d8+15
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 15/magic, lowlight vision, SR 15
Saves: Fort +17, Ref +11, Will +6
+6 will save??? a 15 level psion can dominate it soo easily...
Abilities: Str 30, Dex 14, Con 27, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +15, Jump +14, Listen +10, Spot +10, Survival +10
Feats: Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved Overrun, Multiattack, Power Attack
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 18
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 16-30 HD (Gargantuan); 31-45 HD (Colossal)
It´s metal abilities could be higher... as a creature with a lot of spell/psionics like powers it needs a high Charisma... 20 or so.
Psi-like Abilities: At will – biofeedback (DR 6/-*), danger sense (+4 bonus, improved uncanny dodge*), ego whip (4d4 Cha, DC 18*), id insinuation (7 targets, DC 18*), inflict pain (7 targets, DC 18*), intellect fortress (9 rounds*), matter agitation, mental barrier (+6 AC, 11 rounds*), mind thrust (15d10, DC 18*), psionic blast (6 rounds*), psionic disintegrate (30d6, DC 16*), psionic mind blank, psionic teleport, psychic crush (6d6, DC 15*), telekinetic thrust (500 lb., DC 13*), teleport trigger, thought shield (PR 25, 13 rounds*), tower of iron will (PR 25, 7 rounds*). Manifester level 15th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.
*Includes augmentation for the nightmare beast’s manifester level.
Spell-Like Abilities: At will – nightmare (DC 15*), planar ally; 3/day – chain lightning (DC 16), cloudkill (DC 15), dispel magic, enervation, fireball (DC 13), incendiary cloud (DC 18), lightning bolt (DC 13), wall of fire. Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.†
it Caster/manifester level should be higher too...
The mightmare beast is a great monter (the original 2ed art was very cool) and it should be the Darksun´s Tarrasque, so a CR 20 Monster would be in line, but the AC and HD need to go up, to tell the truth most of the monters from the Terrors of Athas had the same problem, the Drake´s AC are all way to low...
Hope I helped
...MM2...puts the creature at CR 15 (although lots of the other CRs in MM2 seem off). Do you think that its other abilities offset this single low stat? Anyone else have any thoughts on this point? It's a valid issue.
Let us compare it with the CR 15 neothelid from XPH. IMHO, the proposed nightmare beast is obviously inferior.
I have some outlandish thoughts if you are going to make it an epic monster :D . First, I think you should give it the ability to travel through the Grey and or the Black. Second, I think it should actually feed off of the Nightmares that It creates (just a fluff consideration).
The mightmare beast is a great monter (the original 2ed art was very cool) and it should be the Darksun´s Tarrasque, so a CR 20 Monster would be in line, but the AC and HD need to go up, to tell the truth most of the monters from the Terrors of Athas had the same problem, the Drake´s AC are all way to low...
Hope I helped
You brought up some good points. Even though I don't think the nightmare beast should be a base epic creature, it should be on par with old or wyrm red dragon at the very least.
What do you think Kam?
You brought up some good points. Even though I don' think the nightmare beast should be a base epic creature, it should be on par with old or wyrm red dragon at the very least.
What do you think Kam?
I will secord it- looking it over again and doing some book flipping has made me realize that perhaps the CR should be a base 21 (with the correct increases to 18 HD and such). They are some of the biggest BA's running the Tablelands and the very rare incounter with even one should leave the PC's (the living ones at least) peeing in their sandles.
I would vote for the improved crtiical (bite) being added to keep with 2e
The nightmare beast is such an iconic monster that I figured throwing it out for comment on the boards would a good way to get a final product that meets everyone's expectations, as opposed to keeping it wholly in-house. This community is a real source of quality ideas.I agree that a direct port-over of the critter lacks the punch in 3e that it needs. I also agree that there should be epic potential in the nightmare beast, but not that it should be epic by default.
I'll go back and rework the basic version of the nightmare beast to boost its stats to match a beefy CR. I think I'll run a little more with the idea that each nightmare beast is unique and that there are epic and non-epic versions of the creature too, and start work on drafting an epic nightmare beast. More to follow... :D
I have no plans to do an Athasian lion at the moment. This is because they don't feature in any of the 2e material and there is no real information that tells us how they would differ from a regular lion.
Hoping not to derail this thread -
came across an interesting little passage in The Amber Enchantress (pg 101).
"Elves are named for the first interesting thing they do after learning to run. In our tongue, Faenaeyon means 'faster than the lion'. How many children do you suppose survive to bear such a name?"
And IIRC, isn't there a description of the lion in RaFoaDK? I'll be going through that book before too long, in case no one else finds it, but I know I'd be really interested in seeing an official athasian lion.