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Gnasty Gnolls: Cultists and Guardians in AGE

Kobold Press — Thu, 23 May 2013 07:01:37 +0000

Gnolls have slaughtered their way to gaming infamy, and they are a favorite of gamemasters (GMs) and players alike. This article can be used by GMs to round out this age-old monster, or players can use it to create new characters. The following gnoll variant is formatted for AGE—though you can convert the material to your preferred system easily enough—and is specific to the Midgard campaign world.

Gnoll Cultist

Gnoll cultists have little patience for rituals, viewing torture and slaughter as ritual enough. Often, their devotion belongs to their assumed creator, the demon Mordiggian (also known as Vardesain), patron god of the ghouls. Other cultists revere Anu-Akma, Aten, Bastet, Horus, Ninkash, and Thoth-Hermes, and they seek out converts, prey, and slaves. Cultists wear symbols of piety, such as the eye of Mordiggian, the sistrum of Bastet, or the wedjat eye of Horus, and they use appropriate weapons, such as the flail for followers of Mordiggian and daggers for others, with many of the cult’s warriors having affinities for axes.

Playing a Gnoll Cultist

If you choose to play a gnoll Cultist, modify your character as follows:

Add 1 to your Cunning. Cultists are intelligent and knowledgeable by gnoll standards.
Choose your deity.
Pick one of the following focuses: Cunning (Arcane Lore) or Cunning (Healing).
You can speak Infernal.
Choose a class. You can play either a mage or warrior.

Roll twice on the accompanying table for additional benefits. Roll 2d6 and add the dice together. If you get the same result twice, re-roll until you get something different.

GNOLL CULTIST

2d6 Roll	Benefit for Mage	Benefit for Warrior
2	+1 Magic	+1 Strength
3–4	Focus: Magic (Creation)	Focus: Strength (Axes)
5	Focus: Magic (Entropy)	Focus: Strength (Intimidation)
6	Focus: Magic (Primal)	Focus: Strength (Might)
7–8	+1 Cunning	+1 Dexterity
9	Focus: Willpower (Faith)	Focus: Dexterity (Stealth)
10–11	Focus: Willpower (Self-Discipline)	Focus: Dexterity (Initiative)
12	Weapon Group: Light Blades	Weapon Group: Axes

Gnoll Guardian

Interbreeding with hyenas, gnoll guardians have a frightening cackle and are stronger than most gnolls. Concentrated at the Step Pyramids of Faizal, guardians also engage in adventure and expeditions. Such adventures are usually goal-driven, such as for banishment of a particular enemy or retrieval of a coveted artifact. In the service of the priests of Anu-Akma, these gnolls ferociously protect them and the holy sites, and, when off-duty, like to drink. Due to this pastime, guardians are often found in the company of dwarves, with many developing shared deep loyalties with the little ones. Guardians have an affinity for grenades (acid flasks) and two-handed swords.

Playing a Gnoll Guardian

If you choose to play a gnoll guardian, modify your character as follows:

Add 1 to your Strength. Guardians are brutes, even by gnoll standards.
Pick one of the following focuses: Constitution (Drinking) or Strength (Intimidation).
You can speak Dwarvish.
Choose a class. You can play either a warrior or a rogue.

Roll twice on the accompanying table for additional benefits. Roll 2d6 and add the dice together. If you get the same result twice, re-roll until you get something different.

GNOLL GUARDIAN

2d6 Roll	Benefit
2	+1 Dexterity
3–4	Focus: Strength (Jumping)
5	Focus: Strength (Might)
6	Focus: Dexterity (Grenades)
7–8	+1 Willpower
9	Focus: Willpower (Morale)
10–11	Focus: Strength (Heavy Blades)
12	Focus: Dexterity (Traps)

Old Hat Monsters: Tribal Shaman

Kobold Press — Wed, 22 May 2013 07:01:03 +0000

“Every man is a quotation from all his ancestors.” —Ralph Waldo Emerson

In many tribal societies, the chieftain leads the social hierarchy (along with sometimes a council of elders), the hero leads war parties, and the shaman serves as spiritual leader. The tribal shaman is sometimes the only member of a tribe with magic, and he or she often serves a conduit to the spirit world.

Given the debate that preceded this week’s article (and its rebuttal), I reiterate once more that gaming is at its best when we mix familiar elements with new—use nostalgia with a twist. My gaming table is happiest when they expect the same old encounter and instead face something similar but different. Make your players respect the old hat monsters again, and I assure you your gaming table will be better for it. Join me after the jump for my last tribal template the tribal shaman (CR +3).

Serving as a conduit to the arcane and divine requires an understanding of the world, a sharp wit, and the ability to lead others, so add +4 to Wisdom, +4 to Intelligence, and +2 to Charisma. The power to channel and commune with spirits from the other side takes a toll on health, so the shaman receives –2 to Constitution. Despite the cost in terms of health, tribal shamans are still a bit hardier than the average member of the tribe, so +2 BAB and +2 to natural AC.

What little arcane knowledge the tribe has is passed down from shaman to shaman. Furthermore, while the shaman is an arcane caster, matters of the divine are also under his or her auspice, so add +6 to Spellcraft and Healing, and add +4 to all Knowledge skills.

Tribal shamans gain the following feats: Leadership*, Skill Focus (perception), and 1 exotic weapon proficiency. In this case, the shaman need not be 7th level for the feat, and in place of a cohort, the shaman gains an animal companion as an equal level druid. The followers, animal companion, and any tribal chieftains or heroes in the tribe are the only ones that can benefit from the shaman’s share spirits ability.

Spell-Like Abilities: The monster shaman gains all the following spell-like abilities as a cleric with a caster level equal to the shaman’s HD. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

At will—bane, guidance, haunted fey aspect, jolt, mending, message, spark

3/day—burning hands, cure light wounds, darkness, jump, ray of sickening, scorching ray, snap dragon fireworks

1/day—hold person, lightning, speak with dead, stinking cloud, summon monster 2

Defensive Abilities

Shield of Flesh (Ex) Any creatures of the shaman’s base type and any of the shaman’s summoned creatures within 10 ft. can sacrifice a move action to take damage that would have hit the shaman from any source requiring an attack roll.

Dread Sanctuary (Su) Any creature attempting to engage in melee with the shaman must make a Will save equal to 10 + 1/2 the Hit Dice of the shaman or become shaken. Subsequent failures indicate frightened and finally panicked conditions.

Special Abilities

Channel Spirits (Su) For every 3 Hit Dice possessed by the shaman, the shaman gains a familiar spirit that can be channeled by the shaman in a manner similar to demon possession. When the shaman utilizes the familiar spirit, it gains the ability of that spirit. This can be done for 1 minute per Hit Dice + Wisdom modifier.

Ancestor Spirit—Double the positive statistic modifier of subject race and gain +2 BAB, +2 to saves, and the ability to channel energy as a cleric equal to the shaman’s Hit Dice.

Animal Spirit—The shaman may take the form of the animal he or she has chosen, and the shaman may utilize aspects of the animal even in human form. The shaman may, for example, fly like a bird or borrow the strength of a bear. The shaman may also communicate with animals of that type.

Elemental Spirit—The shaman gains an elemental domain as though the shaman were a cleric equal in level to his or her Hit Dice.

Guardian Spirit—The tribal shaman gains great protective powers and grants all tribal allies a +2 to AC and saves as well as the ability to cast dispel magic as a cleric equal to his or her Hit Dice.

Share Spirits (Su) Any direct follower of the shaman’s, any tribal template character, or an animal companion of the shaman may receive a blessing that causes it to be possessed by the shaman’s familiar spirit as though that character were a shaman that is two levels lower than the shaman. When the shaman gives this sacred gift, the magic comes with a trigger, and that familiar spirit may not be accessed by the shaman again that day.

Gnasty Gnolls: The Avenger in AGE

Kobold Press — Thu, 16 May 2013 07:01:52 +0000

Gnoll Avenger

Sallying forth from the edge of sandstorms, gnoll avengers ride chariots into battle. Though encountered across Midgard, avengers tend to be concentrated in the Southlands, especially in the river city of Nuria and particularly at the Palm Palace, as well as the outlying cities of Corremel and Per-Kush. Avengers are used en masse to conquer others or defend the kingdom, or they work in smaller formations to hunt, track, race, and make war. The bloodline of these gnolls originates with a common ancestor—a large gnoll named Arrna—and each avenger has remained loyal to the king and queen of the river kingdom since then. Riding ornate ceremonial chariots, statues of avengers are found within royal tombs, even protecting their charge in the afterlife. Like other gnolls, avengers capture slaves, especially those with the skills to perpetuate or amend the technology of their vehicles, and they engage in cannibalism, eating fallen brethren to absorb their twisted souls. Avenger leaders employ falcons for scouting, while the rank and file have an affinity for barbed nets (see below), spears, and short bows.

Playing a Gnoll Avenger

If you choose to play a gnoll avenger, modify your character as follows:

Add 1 to your Dexterity. Avengers must be agile to fight from chariots.
Pick one of the following focuses: Constitution (Driving) or Strength (Spears).
You can speak Nurian.
Take the warrior class.

Roll twice on the accompanying table for additional benefits. Roll 2d6 and add the dice together. If you get the same result twice, re-roll until you get something different.

GNOLL AVENGER
2d6 Roll	Benefit
2	+1 Constitution
3–4	Weapon Group: Bows
5	Focus: Willpower (Courage)
6	Focus: Dexterity (Crafting)
7–8	+1 Strength
9	Focus: Dexterity (Bows)
10–11	Focus: Cunning (Engineering)
12	+1 Cunning

Avenger Chariots

Chariots are two-wheeled vehicles fashioned from skin stretched over steam-bent wooden frames. Slaves or free artisans with a Journeyman level of the Invention talent, or with the Cunning (Engineering) and/or Dexterity (Crafting) focuses can design and/or build chariots. A simple gnoll chariot costs upwards of 100 sp. Under a GM’s supervision, more complex chariots can be acquired or constructed, such as those with armor, intelligence, or magical resistance, or with additional offensive capabilities such as the ability to spread disease.

Chariots are drawn by 1–4 hyenas (that lose their bite attack due to a bridle, though maintain the stunt Knock Prone) and have a driver and an armed rider. When chariots are used in numbers, they fight in closed ranks to overwhelm enemies. On open terrain, chariots provide great speed and maneuverability, offering stable platforms from which to launch arrow, javelin, and spear attacks (weapons fired/thrown from a moving chariot add +1 to damage). Chariots have a speed of 15 at full speed and an armor rating of 4. Driving is a minor action, and any charioteer makes a Constitution test every round. If this fails, a Dexterity test is made. If this fails, the charioteer falls from the chariot and makes another Dexterity test for damage. The GM can determine target numbers based on terrain and speed.

New Gnoll Weapon: Barbed Net

This rope net is covered in spider-venom-coated hooks and costs 20 sp. Considered a missile weapon with a short/long range of 2 yards and no reload, the user makes a ranged attack to successfully throw the net. With a hit, the hooks cause 1d6 damage and the spider venom inflicts –2 to Dexterity. If able, the user performs a Knock Prone (SP2) stunt, entangling the target.

Old Hat Monsters: Tribal Hero Template

Kobold Press — Wed, 15 May 2013 07:01:36 +0000

“My lands are where my dead lie buried.”—Crazy Horse

Tribal cultures sometimes have a different leader in war then when in peace. The tribal chieftain template I discussed last week was for a chieftain who mostly leads primarily by speaking. The tribal hero, or war chief if you prefer, leads by action.

You can represent this by simply applying the advanced template if you want fast, easy, and boring. If, instead, you’d like to challenge your players with a template designed for guerilla warfare tactics, join me after the jump for the tribal hero (CR +2).

We’ll start with statistics. A tribal hero needs to react quickly to danger, stealthily lead an ambush or night raid, and gracefully avoid damage, so let’s go with Dexterity +4. Planning is crucial—often tribal cultures are invaded by people with better technology, magic, or both, thus the hero needs to understand these advantages and counter with the strengths of the tribe. So, Intelligence +4. That said, sometimes being a hero is simply about being more powerful then your peers: +2 Hit Dice and +1 BAB.

The tribal hero is a feared figure and capable of great stealth and feats of athletic prowess. Add +6 to Intimidation, Stealth, and Acrobatics. Catching enemies or challengers is nearly as important as striking when an enemy is disadvantaged, so add +4 to Perception and Sense Motive.

Tribal heroes gain the following feats: Precise Strike, Improved Initiative, Combat Reflexes, Poison Use, and Outflank.* Tribal heroes thrive on their home turf, so they gain 1 favored terrain and 2 favored enemies against traditional tribal enemies.**

Tribal heroes gain the following special attacks.

Count Coup: When a tribal hero hits a target in his or her favored terrain or hits a favored enemy, he or she can elect to deal no damage and daze the target for 1 round (no save.)

Sacrificial Charge: For an additional –2 to AC, a charging tribal hero can deal double damage on a charge.

Equipment: Treat the tribal hero as a player character of the same level as his or her Hit Dice. If you want to limit the reward the PCs gain, make the majority of the treasures consumable (and consume them).

*Even if the tribal hero would not normally qualify.

**You can stack the bonuses on the same favored enemy if the tribe has only one traditional enemy.

Midgard Bestiary Now Available for Hero Lab

Kobold Press — Thu, 09 May 2013 01:49:50 +0000

After several months of coding, testing, and review, it is here! Rejoice, Hero Lab users, for all the monsters and templates of the Midgard Bestiary for Pathfinder RPG are fully available as an add-on pack for Pathfinder in Hero Lab.

If you are an existing Hero Lab user, you can pick up this package of more than 100 monsters for just $6.99.

If you want to get started with Hero Lab, you can buy a license for that software right away by visiting the Hero Lab site.

We hope you enjoy this latest venture, and we look forward to your comments!

Old Hat Monsters: Tribal Chieftain Template

Kobold Press — Wed, 08 May 2013 07:01:58 +0000

“The sight of it made the earth seem unearthly. They were accustomed to look upon the shackled form of a conquered monster, but there—there you could look at a thing monstrous, beautiful, and free.” —Joseph Conrad, Heart of Darkness.

My first Old Hat Monster article was about breathing new life into the classic monster races with my civilized template. The idea plays off a common assumption that the monstrous humanoids are generally going to be unintelligent savages. This assumption is often reinforced by game mechanics and fantasy tradition. Breaking that mold always seems to work—the players always take the “civilized” monster a little more seriously.

The quandary, of course, is that this should be the very opposite. As the player characters explore uncharted territory, there should be a sense of unease . . . a fear of the unknown. Taming the wilds should be a frightening concept. The civilized urbane citizens of your favorite Pathfinder setting should be a little softer than those who still live off hunting and gathering.

Once again, game mechanics are to blame. Proceed cautiously after the jump as I present the first in a small series of tribal templates, starting with the tribal chieftain template (CR +1).

The easiest way to make a tribal chieftain is to use the advanced template and call it a day. That will earn you a monster that hits harder and likely rules the tribe by fear, but unless you want only a speed bump, you’ve hardly considered the full potential of this sort of encounter. As I mentioned in previous articles, the “tribal” monsters aren’t given the same respect afforded to barbarians. Instead, many might see them as being simply stupid. Stupid isn’t intimidating if your players have any sense of tactics, otherwise every villain would look like the Hulk: strong and hard-hitting but easily deceived or avoided. And with this tribal chieftain template, you have more to work with in terms of roleplaying, which can also engage your players in ways other than combat, potentially.

Considering that the tribal chieftain should be a decent leader to maintain his or her position (a feared leader eventually gets the Julius Caesar treatment), this means the creature should gain a boost to both Charisma and Wisdom. For our purposes, the tribal chieftain template adds +4 Wis and +4 Cha.

The chieftain often resolves internal conflicts and sets tribal policy toward matters of territory and the treatment of outsiders, thus he or she gains +5 to Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidation, Perception, and Sense Motive, plus gains an additional +3 to Bluff, Diplomacy, or Intimidation. More so, the chieftain understands the importance of being knowledgeable about nature and the land the tribe inhabits, so add +8 to Knowledge (nature), Knowledge (local), and Survival. To understand how to proceed in tribal matters, one must remember where one has been, so add +8 to Knowledge (history) and Perform (oratory), with an additional +4 modifier for recalling and telling tribal stories.

The tribal chieftain’s rise to power is rarely unopposed and more often fraught with peril, so the following feats helped the chieftain gain power: Weapon Focus (tribal weapon), Weapon Specialization (tribal weapon), Toughness, Improved Initiative, and Dodge. If the chieftain has 7 or more Hit Dice, you can add Leadership to that list, even if the character would not ordinarily qualify. In addition, if the tribal chieftain has at least a Charisma score of 13, he or she may use comprehend languages and suggestion once per day as though the chieftain had cast the spell as a sorcerer equal to his or her Hit Dice.

In battle, the tribal chieftain that stands with members of his or her tribe grants a +2 morale bonus to attack rolls and against fear effects. If the chieftain falls, there’s a 25 percent chance the rest of the tribe will surrender, a 25 percent chance they will flee, and a 50 percent chance they will all become enraged as per the rage spell (CL = the chieftain’s Hit Dice.) If a shaman or hero is present, the tribe may defer to either of those templated characters.

Gnasty Gnolls: Lore and Adventurers

Kobold Press — Thu, 02 May 2013 07:01:14 +0000

Feral hunter-scavengers, gnolls are demon-twisted humanoid hybrids. With the head of a hyena set upon a tall though hunched humanoid body, gnolls are covered in thick fur that ranges in color from brown to yellow, and their fur is usually matted with the filth they bathe in. With dull black eyes, amber nails, and a curled bushy tail, some subtypes have black spots, and others, thick bristled manes. Male gnolls are a few feet taller than most humans, and females tend to be slightly larger still, though are otherwise similar in appearance. Gnolls wear a hodge-podge of chain and plates for armor—a virtual chart of past kills, with each bit holding fond memories of carnage. Gnolls feed on warm flesh and rotting carrion with equal satisfaction, and their hunting parties, bands, and tribes are encountered in both desert and tundra. Breeding prolifically, they have huge nurseries in their Underdark or fortified surface lairs, and, when food is plentiful, they collect slaves to serve various needs. Most gnolls embrace their demonic heritage, making the majority of gnoll societies tribal and violent. That said, some “civilized” gnolls live in urban areas, where they control their animal instincts and even tolerate other races.

Gnoll tribes unite around bloodlines and have a power structure grounded in size, intimidation, or success in gaining gold. In most gnoll tribes, the largest and most ferocious becomes leader, creating a societal tendency for matriarchies. Power shifts are initiated due to apparent weakness, such as an injury, and a struggle for authority can splinter a tribe into bands, with authority always seized by way of slaughter. Tribes are highly territorial and will vehemently defend hunting grounds. When a mutual threat is encountered, though, disparate gnoll tribes can cooperate.

Some gnolls are raised among other races and societal structures, and this can subdue their natural mandate, making them loyal and of service to others. All gnolls share a connection with hyenas, keeping them as pets, using them as hunting companions and mounts, and forming bonds that often exceed that shared with fellow kin or their own pups. Since gnolls tend to occupy the upper levels of the Underdark, they have also become accustomed to sharing space with bugbears, hobgoblins, ogres, orcs, and trolls. Loose alliances sometimes form between gnolls and such neighbors, though it does not take much (like a rumbling stomach) to shatter such relations. Otherwise, gnolls disdain giants and most other humanoids.

Gnoll Characters

Adventurers are rare among gnolls, though not unheard of. Those gnolls that do leave the tribe tend to be more intelligent than their brethren, often questioning the shallow existence of the hunter-scavenger, and seeking to overcome their murderous nature. Though most gnolls have difficulty with arcane magic, some such adventuring types seek to master it, nonetheless. Others still are driven by a desire to one day return to the tribe, bringing lawfulness to the chaos of gnoll existence, shedding the ways of the demons from whence they came. Many adventuring gnolls have been exiled for such musings or for displays of compassion. Mostly, though, those that shed tribal life have been lured by that which lies beyond the periphery of tribal territory, enticed by yet-to-be-experienced wonders. With such backgrounds in mind, you can create characters with racial subtypes and use starting points such as the following:

Adventurer: You are drawn by the rewards, sights, and wonders of the world.

Aligned: You have been raised by a non-evil race, and you are individually repentant and disillusioned by evil.

Desert: Raised among dunes, you know the desert and are especially adept at avoiding quicksand.

Exiled Gnoll: You have been banished by the tribe and seek a new belonging. Your hope is to make amends and, someday, return to your kind.

Forest: Raised in caves among the trees, you know the forest and harbor a deep hatred of those thin pretty clean folk: the elves.

Half-Construct: Lost an arm or leg? We can rebuild…

Magical: These gnolls have greater intelligence and flirt with or have mastered the arcane arts.

Razer: In the name of your demon lord, you spread destruction, razing settlements and any other visages of civilization.

Undead: Having run afoul of ghouls or vampires, you exist between life and death.

Names for your gnoll player character can include or be inspired by the following suggestions:

Female Names: Allkap, Buuz, Gornyed, Greror, Krak, Korkunk, Mirtvih, Pokvarn, Taramam.

Male Names: D’ermar, Gr’err, Garg, Kemik, Pfang, Remok, Garrg, Vrat, Yipp.

Old Hat Monsters: The Encounter

Kobold Press — Wed, 01 May 2013 07:01:42 +0000

We’ve civilized, mutated, and mashed our classic monsters into a fantasy paradox; they’re familiar yet new. On the horizon I have at least three more monster templates ahead that may well breathe new life into your old favorites, but I must confess that sometimes the best way to surprise your players isn’t to change the monster at all.

The encounter is easy to hand wave. All too often I see GMs simply place their player characters and monsters in the same room, figuring the encounter will sort itself out. It works well in dungeons; mostly the monsters are traumatized or enclosed, and the PCs are likely a food source or a threat, so an immediate fight is a foregone conclusion. As soon as the PCs enter the room, you tell the players to roll initiative and go from there. More advanced GMs will have the monster hidden and have the players make a Perception check against the monster’s stealth to see who is surprised the first round. It all boils down to seeing monster/villain and then fighting.

The advantage to this type of casual GMing is minimal prep work. For some groups, minimizing the roleplaying in favor of getting to the combats is preferred. Also, it’s not uncommon for encounters to be speed bumps to the “boss fight,” so why give those encounters much thought? In video games, this way of handling things is referred to as a grind, and it’s considered lazy design. If you want otherwise mundane encounters to become exciting again—to the point of being something memorable instead of a mere grind—join me after the jump. I’ll discuss some different setups that are both easy to run and a twisted challenge for your players.

The Jack in the Box: A simple way to take an otherwise ho-hum encounter and spice it up is to add a trap or a haunt to the battlefield that the monster is aware of but the PCs may well not be. An example of this could be as simple as having a monster take a withdraw action to flee down a trapped hallway the monster is familiar with. In the heat of combat, caution also might be thrown to the wind, and the PCs could well lose the advantage when they take heedless actions, such as following their foes down this hallway. Another way to spice this encounter up: Consider using a monster that has a movement form the PCs do not, such as a spider racing across the ceiling of our previously mentioned trapped hallway.

Strange Bedfellows: Ecology sections on monsters are actually critical reads. You can come up with all sorts of interesting combinations that stem from ecological convenience. For example, trolls are always hungry. This is partly due to their size and the demands of their regenerative abilities. This hunger drives them to prey on other intelligent races. The vampire, on the other hand, simply needs blood, and troll blood is likely dangerous to it. Why not have the two form a partnership of sorts? Your PCs could investigate local disappearances and find troll tracks, thinking they have the encounter licked. Then, when they confront the troll after making themselves ready for its acid and fire vulnerabilities, the vampire partner summons a swarm or two and rushes to the aid of its troll ally, anticipating a feast ahead for them both.

The Face Routine: A personal favorite of mine uses your classic villain setup. The villain uses Diplomacy checks and good roleplaying to talk it out with the PCs, distracting them from things its minions are doing behind the scenes. As a DM, you can set Perception check DCs beforehand and allow the players to roll as the villain’s minions move into position to throw their big punch. Whether these minions flank all the PCs when revealed (thanks to some fancy footwork or magic), or otherwise gain an advantage in a fight, the key is to get the PCs to drop their guard for a moment—just long enough for the villain to achieve his or her goal.

Protect the Football: I lied—this setup is my favorite. Victory isn’t always about winning the fight. Sometimes it’s about stopping something really bad from happening, and the fight itself becomes a secondary objective. A villain with a hostage about to be sacrificed is the classic example. Getting that hostage clear of the threat is a major objective for the group, and your fighter might decide not to use tactics to evade attacks of opportunity in favor of rescuing the hostage. Another great setup involves the completion of a ritual. If the minions hold your PCs back long enough, the whole fight could change drastically when the main villains complete the ritual.

Updated: 5/1/13