Templates
Return to the Life in Celegia page.
Return to the Celegian Bestiary page.
TEMPLATES
SECOND DRAFT
One of the issues facing the GM of an Epic campaign is how to integrate the Epic content into the existing game world? Some choose to address this by building their own game world from scratch, designed from the beginning to have Epic content, and with that content woven into the fabric of the world.
Unfortunately, most referees don't have that sort of time or energy, and so must work with what content is available. Most game worlds for AD&D are based upon certain assumptions: Low technology, high magic, and a generally primitive existence, with a "world scale" centered around 4th to 8th level. How do you integrate Epic content into such a setting?
Well, one easy way is to make the more mighty creatures rare and remote. Such worlds often have generous wastelands, simply populate such spots with tougher monsters of fairly conventional type. Another tried and true method is to go Planar with the campaign. But how do you adapt standard content to such chores?
Standard monster advancement involves adding hit dice. Simple, effective, but players quickly become tired of 40 hit die trolls the size of houses. Even more ridiculous, you get tribes of eight foot tall goblins. Why? Well adding hit dice adds size in the standard rules.
Another way to improve monsters that does not change their size is to add character levels. This is problematic in other ways. First, why does this entire TRIBE of orcs all have more character skill than most elite human armies? Second, adding character levels is simple if you're adding two levels of Fighter. It's not so simple if you're adding eight levels of sorcerer.
Another way to toughen up standard monsters is to use templates. Ah, now this is more promising. Skeletal giants, voidmind dragons, whole tribes of corrupted trolls, now this is making a bit more sense than simply stacking up hit dice, and is much simpler than advancing 40 orcs through ten character levels each. Even better, you can tie campaigns to templates. For example, a whole tribe of Jann, all with the Voidmind template and a chewy center of three illithids, makes a tasty and zesty encounter.
But sadly, such specialized templates as Voidmind or Pseudonatural or Gelatinous quickly becomes repetitive if overused. What is needed are simple templates that provide a range of CR boosts, that the referee can then tie to campaign features.
The ideal example for such a template is the mighty "Paragon" template. Paragon is a generic template designed to show a single creature that is an incredibly advanced or special edition of its breed. Very useful! But, the issue comes of rarity. Just how many Paragon Dire Wolves ARE there, anyway? Not many in most cases, but that can be mended with a bit of world-smithing..
We need templates that are not quite as zesty as Paragon, and more general than Paragon, that we can use to boost up standard monsters. Below is a copy of the mighty Paragon template to show what it is like, and then below that are half a dozen new, "general" templates. These templates have simple names, and are designed to be used in existing campaigns, usually tied to campaign features.
As an example of simple world-smithing to use the Paragon template, perhaps there was a huge meteor strike in the wild mountains far to the east. Soon after, adventurers found the normal creatures in that area all had the "Paragon" template added, boosting their CR by a whopping 12 or more. A simple encounter with Ogres is a true challenge, and a Paragon Mountain Giant wandering about is as momentous as the appearance of the Tarrasgue! Why do not such mighty creatures overrun the world? Because if they travel too far from the meteor strike, the template fades and the revert back to merely normal specimens again. Such creatures should always have a distinctive feature to show their incredible might, such as green skin, or glowing eyes. In this way, standard material can be adjusted to provide a challenge for Epic players, while the DM has to do only a minimum of paperwork.
The templates are:
- Paragon, +12 to +18 CR
- Mighty, +11 CR to +15 CR
- Potent, +10 to +12 CR
- Fierce, +8 to +10 CR
- Rugged, +6 to +8CR
- Hardened, +5 to +7 CR
- Hardy, +4 to +6 CR
- Robust, +3 to +5 CR
Even better, such templates can be "stacked" with other advancement methods. A tribe of Janni with the Mighty template applied are certainly zesty, but if you also advance their hit dice from 6 to 9, their CR skyrockets from a meager 4 to a hefty 19 each, and a band of eight such are a challenge indeed! Perhaps the band found a cursed oasis, whose water gives them enormous strength, but turns to poison in their bodies if they do not drink again at every Sunrise.
The possibilities are endless. Indeed, the "lighter" templates such as Robust, Hardy, and Hardened are also very useful for "fine tuning" monsters. If your adventurers are respected mercenaries in Sigil, perhaps a squad of Hardened Hezrou recruited from a particularly fierce part of the Blood War can provide a surprise, and their vile tattoos mark them as part of some elite unit. Who sent such deadly fiends, and why?. More important, when is the Balor with the Rugged template going to show up to finish the job? if the referee likes, the various templates can also be used to indicate wilder, or more advanced, tribes of familiar monsters. perhaps far to the north is a land in which there are no teeming masses of Orcs, but instead are very similar looking creatures calling themselves Scro. Scro are Orcs with the Robust template, and they always expend 4 points to raise their intelligence. Suddenly, a race of stereotypical brutes are positively civilized, and quite a bit tougher than they look!
Referees are encouraged to be creative.
The Templates
"Paragon" is a template that can be added to any creature(referred to hereafter as the base creature.) Among the population of every kind of creature are some specimens that are its weakest, worst representatives. Likewise, every population has its paragons:the strongest, smartest, luckiest, and most powerful of the species. Paragon creatures may represent the mythical First Creature, created in its perfect form by some creator deity, or perhaps the evolutionary endpoint of a race after thousands of years of steady improvement. Sometimes, paragons just spring up accidentally, when all the factors are right. The base creatures type remains unchanged. The paragon creature uses all of the base creatures statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
HD: A paragon creature always has maximum hit points. Paragon creatures also gain an additional 12 hit points per HD.
SPEED: A paragon creature's speed triples, for all movement types.
AC: Paragon creatures gain a +12 insight bonus to AC and a +12 luck bonus to AC. They also gain a +5 natural armor bonus(if the creature already has a natural armor bonus, use whichever is better.)
Attacks: A paragon creature makes all its attacks with a +25 luck bonus on the attack roll.
Damage: A paragon creature gains a +20 luck bonus on damage rolls for all melee and thrown ranged attacks.
Special Attacks: A paragon creatures special attacks, if any, all gain a +13 insight bonus, if applicable. For instance, a paragon creature might have a special attack which allows it to put its enemies to sleep if they fail a Will saving throw (DC:15); applying the bonus increases the DC to 28. Likewise, it may have a special ability that allows it to rend; in this case the +13 insight bonus could be applied to damage. The +13 insight bonus may be applied to a given special ability once. One example of a special attack to which the +13 insight bonus would not apply is the dream haunting ability of the night hag.
Spell Like Abilities(Sp) or Psionics(Sp): if the base creature has any spell-like abilities, it gains +15 to its caster level to use those abilities. For instance, a creature that uses its spell-like abilities at 10th level uses those abilities at 25th level as a paragon creature. A paragon creature also gains the ability to use Greater Dispelling, Haste, and See Invisibility three times per day, even if it did not have those abilities before, at the 15th caster level.
Special Qualities: A paragon creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following:
- Fire and cold resistance 10.
- Damage reduction 20/+6.
- Spell resistance equal to paragon CR +10.
- Fast Healing 20.
In all cases, if the creature already had such qualities, use whichever is better.
Saves: The paragon creature gains a +10 insight bonus on all its saves.
Abilities: All ability scores are 15 points higher than those of the base creature.
Skills: A paragon creature gains a +10 competency bonus on all its skill checks.
Feats: Same as the base creature, plus two bonus feats.
Climate/terrain: Any
Organization: Same as the base creature. (Note, this means entire groups of paragon creatures are thus possible.)
Challenge Rating: Up to 6HD, as base creature +18; 7HD to 15HD, as base creature +15; 16+HD, as base creature +12.
Treasure: As standard for paragon creatures new CR.
Alignment: Same as base creature.
Advancement: Same as base creature.
Mighty Template
HD As standard, +12 per die "Mighty” bonus
Speed 2.5 times primary movement ability, 2 times all others, round down to nearest five feet
AC +10 Insight bonus, +10 luck Bonus, +5 Natural bonus. If already has any of these, this stacks with existing.
Attacks: +20 Luck bonus
Damage +20 Luck bonus
Special Attacks: +10 insight bonus to one aspect of each attack, if applicable.
Psionics: +10 Manifester level
Spell-Like Abilities +10 Caster level
Special Qualities Keeps all, and gains ER 10 vs all energy types, DR20/epic, SR CR+10, Fast Healing 20
Saves +10 Insight bonus to all saves
Abilities Add up to 70 points to the ability array, no more than +20 to any single one, recalculate hits, damage, saves, and hitpoints
Skills +10 Competence bonus on all skills
Feats: As base plus 2 bonus. If new CR is 20+, add 1 additional Epic feat
Climate/terrain: Same as base
Organization Same as base
Challenge Rating Base creature 1-6 HD, +15. 7-15 HD, +13, 16+ HD, +11
Treasure Standard for adjusted CR
Alignment Same as base
Advancement: Same as base
Potent Template
HD As standard, +10 per die "Potent” bonus
Speed 2 times all movement modes
AC +8 Insight bonus, +8 luck Bonus, +4 Natural bonus. If already has any of these, this stacks with existing.
Attacks: +12 Luck bonus
Damage +16 Luck bonus
Special Attacks: +8 insight bonus to one aspect of each attack, if applicable.
Psionics: +8 Manifester level
Spell-Like Abilities +8 Caster level
Special Qualities Keeps all, and gains ER 8 vs all energy types, DR16/+5, SR=CR+10, Fast Healing 20
Saves +8 Insight bonus to all saves
Abilities Add up to 55 points to the ability array, no more than +18 to any single one, recalculate hits, damage, saves, and hitpoints
Skills +10 Competence bonus on all skills
Feats: As base plus 2 bonus. If new CR is 20+, add 1 additional Epic feat
Climate/terrain: Same as base
Organization Same as base
Challenge Rating Base creature 1-6 HD, +12. 7-15 HD, +11, 16+ HD, +10
Treasure Standard for adjusted CR
Alignment Same as base
Advancement: Same as base
The Potent template is a weaker version of the paragon template. While the paragon template is designed to create a single truly exceptional individual creature, the potent template is designed to create a vastly more potent version of a class of creatures. As a result, there is more flexibility in the potent template than the paragon template, mainly in the ability to customize the abilities of the creature. At the same time, the potent template is simpler and less powerful than the paragon template.
A word on ability points: The potent template allows you to add 55 to the base array of the monster. This is not 55 more points to buy higher abilities off the standard purchase chart, this is 55 more stat points. If the creature has a 15 Strength, you can add none to it, or 1 to it, or up to 18 to it, giving the potent creature a 33 strength. You then recalculate its to hit and damage with the new bonuses for exceptional strength, added to the bonuses for luck, insight, etc.
Fierce Template
HD As standard, +8 per die "Fierce” bonus
Speed X2 primary movement mode, x1.5 all other movement modes, round down to nearest 5 feet
AC +8 Insight bonus, +8 luck Bonus. If already has any of these, this stacks with existing.
Attacks: +10 Luck bonus
Damage +15 Luck bonus
Special Attacks: +7 insight bonus to one aspect of each attack, if applicable.
Psionics: +7 Manifester level
Spell-Like Abilities +7 Caster level
Special Qualities Keeps all, and gains ER 8 vs all energy types, DR10/+4, SR=CR+7, Fast Healing 16
Saves +7 Insight bonus to all saves
Abilities Add up to 42 points to the ability array, no more than +12 to any single one, recalculate hits, damage, saves, and hitpoints
Skills +7 Competence bonus on all skills
Feats: As base plus 2 bonus. If new CR is 20+, add 1 additional Epic feat
Climate/terrain: Same as base
Organization Same as base
Challenge Rating Base creature 1-6 HD, +10. 7-15 HD, +8, 16+ HD, +7
Treasure Standard for adjusted CR
Alignment Same as base
Advancement: Same as base
Rugged Template
HD As standard, +10 per die "Rugged” bonus
Speed X2 primary movement mode
AC +6 Insight bonus, +6 luck Bonus. If already has any of these, this stacks with existing.
Attacks: +8 Luck bonus
Damage +8 Luck bonus
Special Attacks: +6 insight bonus to one aspect of each attack, if applicable.
Psionics: +6 Manifester level
Spell-Like Abilities +6 Caster level
Special Qualities Keeps all, and gains ER 15 vs all energy types, DR20/+4, SR=CR+10, Fast Healing 15
Saves +7 Insight bonus to all saves
Abilities Add up to 24 points to the ability array, no more than +10 to any single one, recalculate hits, damage, saves, and hitpoints
Skills +6 Competence bonus on all skills
Feats: As base plus 2 bonus. If new CR is 20+, add 1 additional Epic feat
Climate/terrain: Same as base
Organization Same as base
Challenge Rating Base creature 1-6 HD, +8. 7-15 HD, +7, 16+ HD, +6
Treasure Standard for adjusted CR
Alignment Same as base
Advancement: Same as base
Hardened Template
HD As standard, +5 per die "Hardened” bonus
Speed X1.5 primary movement mode, x1.5 all other movement modes, round down to nearest 5 feet
AC +5 Insight bonus, +5 luck Bonus. If already has any of these, this stacks with existing.
Attacks: +5 Luck bonus
Damage +5 Luck bonus
Special Attacks: +5 insight bonus to one aspect of each attack, if applicable.
Psionics: +5 Manifester level
Spell-Like Abilities +5 Caster level
Special Qualities Keeps all, and gains ER 5 vs all energy types, DR5/+3, Fast Healing 10
Saves +5 Insight bonus to all saves
Abilities Add up to 18 points to the ability array, no more than +6 to any single one, recalculate hits, damage, saves, and hitpoints
Skills +5 Competence bonus on all skills
Feats: As base plus 2 bonus. If new CR is 20+, add 1 additional Epic feat
Climate/terrain: Same as base
Organization Same as base
Challenge Rating Base creature 1-6 HD, +7. 7-15 HD, +6, 16+ HD, +5
Treasure Standard for adjusted CR
Alignment Same as base
Advancement: Same as base
Hardy Template
HD As standard, +4 per die "Hardy” bonus
Speed Primary movement x1.5 round down to nearest 5 feet
AC +4 Insight bonus, +4 luck Bonus. If already has any of these, this stacks with existing.
Attacks: +4 Luck bonus
Damage +4 Luck bonus
Special Attacks: +4 insight bonus to one aspect of each attack, if applicable.
Psionics: +4 Manifester level
Spell-Like Abilities +4 Caster level
Special Qualities Keeps all, and gains ER 4 vs all energy types, DR4/+2, Fast Healing 5
Saves +4 Insight bonus to all saves
Abilities Add up to 12 points to the ability array, no more than +6 to any single one, recalculate hits, damage, saves, and hitpoints
Skills +4 Competence bonus on all skills
Feats: As base plus 2 bonus. If new CR is 20+, add 1 additional Epic feat
Climate/terrain: Same as base
Organization Same as base
Challenge Rating Base creature 1-6 HD, +6. 7-15 HD, +5, 16+ HD, +4
Treasure Standard for adjusted CR
Alignment Same as base
Advancement: Same as base
Robust Template
HD As standard, +3 per die "Robust” bonus
Speed Primary movement plus ten feet
AC +4 Insight bonus, +4 luck Bonus. If already has any of these, this stacks with existing.
Attacks: +4 Luck bonus
Damage +4 Luck bonus
Special Attacks: +4 insight bonus to one aspect of each attack, if applicable.
Psionics: +4 Manifester level
Spell-Like Abilities +4 Caster level
Special Qualities Keeps all, and gains ER 4 vs all energy types, DR4/+2, Fast Healing 5
Saves +4 Insight bonus to all saves
Abilities Add up to 12 points to the ability array, no more than +6 to any single one, recalculate hits, damage, saves, and hitpoints
Skills +4 Competence bonus on all skills
Feats: As base plus 2 bonus. If new CR is 20+, add 1 additional Epic feat
Climate/terrain: Same as base
Organization Same as base
Challenge Rating Base creature 1-6 HD, +6. 7-15 HD, +5, 16+ HD, +4
Treasure Standard for adjusted CR
Alignment Same as base
Advancement: Same as base
Deadly Template
HD: As standard
Speed: As standard
AC: As standard
Attacks: Add one more attack with its primary attack, at full BAB, to both a regular attack and a full attack.
Damage: Add its CR after applying this template as a deadly damage bonus to all attacks doing hitpoint damage.
Special Attacks: +8 insight bonus to one aspect of each attack, if applicable.
Psionics: As standard
Spell-Like Abilities: As standard
Special Qualities: As standard
Saves: As standard
Abilities: As standard
Skills: As standard
Feats: As standard
Climate/terrain: As standard
Organization: As standard
Challenge Rating: +1 for standard attack up to 2d6, +2 for more than 2d6, +1 additional if the standard attack has some extraordinary property.
Treasure: Standard for adjusted CR
Alignment: Same as base
Advancement: Same as base
The Deadly template is used to increase the deadliness of a creature. A Deadly creature is extremely quick and powerful with its attacks, to the point where it gets an extra bonus "deadly" attack with either a regular attack action or a full attack action. This bonus attack can be used in any round in which any feats or abilities allow at least one primary attack. It does NOT allow extra sneak attack damage to tbe applied, and is only usable with the attack defined as the creatures primary attack.
In addition, all of a Deadly creatures attacks that do damage receive a deadly bonus equal to the monster's CR after this template was applied. This bonus does NOT apply to any non-hit point damage.
A Deadly creature gets a +8 insight bonus to ONE aspect of each special attack it may possess. For example the DC of a gaze attack may go up by +8, but not the damage inflicted,etc.
Sample Deadly creature:
Deadly Dire Tiger
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 16d8+48 (120 hp)
Initiative: +2 Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+24
Attack: 2 Claws +20 melee (2d4+8+10)
Full Attack: 3 claws +20 melee (2d4+8+10) and bite +14 melee (2d6+4+10)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, pounce, rake 2d4+4+10 Deadly +8 insight
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +12, Will +11
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +7*, Jump +14, Listen +6, Move Silently +11, Spot +7, Swim +10
Feats: Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (claw), Improved Natural Attack (bite), Run, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (claw)
Environment: Warm forests Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 8 base +1 for less than 2d6, +1 for special qualities (pounce and rake) 10
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 17–32 HD (Large); 33–48 (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -
This dire tiger is similar to its less deadly cousins, but it has blinding speed and power in its attacks. It is able to pounce and deliver a blinding flurry of claw strikes, and if it successfully grabs, its rake attack has both a deadly bonus and an insight bonus, to deliver huge damage quickly.
Toxic Template
HD: As standard
Speed: As standard
AC: As standard
Attacks: As standard
Damage: As standard
Special Attacks: Acid Emission
Psionics: As standard
Spell-Like Abilities: As standard
Special Qualities: Acidic Spray
Saves: As standard
Abilities: As standard
Skills: As standard
Feats: As standard
Climate/terrain: As standard
Organization: As standard
Challenge Rating: +1 for each +3d6 (or fraction of 3d6) acidic damage added to its main attack.
Treasure: Standard for adjusted CR, plus see below.
Alignment: Same as base
Advancement: Same as base
The Toxic template can be added to any corporeal creature. A Toxic creature is full of horrible acidic bile, and its appearance reflects this, as it is sickly, miscolored, and often exhibits blisters, sores, and buboes filled with simmering ichor. Toxic creatures may be horribly twisted sports, or they may represent entire new species that are awful offshoots of standard races, created by terrible accidents, or dreadful pollutions, or malign experimentation.
Acid Emission: For each point of the Toxic creatures Con modifier, add 1d6 of acid damage to its primary attack, minimum 1d6. This is usually applied to a bite, but may be applied to any corporeal attack. If a slam, some oozing blisters burst each time. If claws, they seep acid constantly, etc. There is no save versus this extra acid damage. Don't get hit!
Acidic Spray: Once during each round in which a Toxic creature is damaged in physical combat, it sprays a gout of acidic blood in one square wthin five feet. This acid spray happens immediately when the toxic creature takes damage, and does not take any action on the creature's part. This spray is usually but not always directed at the person who struck it. For example, if a fighter strikes a Toxic creature with a short sword, it sprays him immediately. If a mage is standing next to a toxic creature and casts hold person on it, and a rogue then shoots it with an arrow, the mage gets sprayed with acid from the arrow wound. This acidic spray inflicts 1d6 of acid damage per point of Con modifier, Fort save for half, DC is 15+HD+Con modifier of the Toxic creature. This save DC is Con based.
Acid Recovery: The carcass of a dead Toxic creature may be harvested for acid. For each size category above Small,one standard vial of acid may be recovered, IE, 1 vial at Medium, 2 at Large, 3 at Huge, etc. This is in addition to any standard treasure the creature posseses, and is not without risk, treat as if you are recovering doses of poison.
Dread Apes
(Advanced, Mighty, Deadly, Dire Ape)
Large Monstrous Beast
Hit Dice: 15d10+375 (465 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 100 ft. (130 if hasted)
Armor Class: 42 (–1 size, +12 Dex, +11 natural, +10 insight, +10 Luck), touch 31, flat-footed 30
Base Attack/Grapple: +33/+37
Attack: 2 claws +53 melee (15 base, +18Str, +20 Luck)
Full Attack: 3 claws +53 Melee (15 base, +18Str, +20 Luck) and bite +48 ( 10 base, +18 Str, +20 Luck)
Damage: Claws: 1d6+41 19-20 x2 (+18Str, +3 Deadly, +20 Luck), Bite x2 1d8 +41
Space/Reach: 10/5
Special Attacks: Rend, autohit, Damage 6d6 +59 (+18 Str, +10 Insight, +8 Deadly Insight, +3 Deadly, +20 Luck)
Special Qualities:Low Light Vision, Scent, ER10/-, DR20/Epic, SR 33, Fast Healing 20
Saves: Fort:+32 Ref:+31 Will:+22
Abilities: Str 47, Dex 35, Con 37, Int 2, Wis 22, Cha 10
Skills:Climb+24*, Listen+15, Move Silently+14, Spot+16, Jump+20*
Feats: Alertness, Toughness, Power Attack, Improved Natural Weapon (rend) x3, Improved Critical (claws), Blind Fighting, Improved Overrun, Blinding Speed (haste, 5 rounds/day)
Environment: Warm Forests
Organization: Solitary or Company (5-8)
Challenge Rating:23
Treasure:None
Alignment: Neutral
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -
Lurking in the deepest of jungles, infesting dire lost temples, feasting on rare herbs, or imbued with the deep, green magics of their abodes, dread apes are mighty cousins of the more common dire apes. They are about the same size and build as their far meeker cousins, but are distinct in their black and silver striped fur, which allows them to blend into the forest shadows.
Fearsome predators who are often content to subsist on berries, dread apes are aggressive in defending their territory, and woe to the creature which angers one of these beasts. A troupe of dread apes fears little in the natural forest, and prefer to pass their time in quiet bliss, but they can be very territorial, and woe betide the adventurer who finds herself facing a half dozen of these mighty powerhouses.
Tactics: If a dread ape chooses to attack, it will generally use its Blinding Speed first and dash into the fray, launching a wave of flickering-fast clawstrikes. They get a rend attack if any two claws hit in a round, and if they perform a hasted full attack and can hit all four times, they get two rends.
Given its speed and power, this flurry of attacks usually suffices, but if the ape is not hitting, it will attempt to use its size and huge Strength to initiate a Grapple, and once it pins the opponent, will land automatic Rends, tearing the foe to ribbons.
If it takes serious damage, it will attempt to flee, using its Jump, Climb, and incredible speed to make an escape. Dread Apes get +16 on Climb checks, and can take 10 on climb checks at all times. A dread ape can use its great speed and Jump skill to leap into the trees with great ease.