Was just reading on WotC about Lodestone Marauders (http://www.wizards.com/default.asp?x=d20modern/article/20070126a) and thought they might be an interesting addition when the Granny plug-in makes its way to the community.
Some of the creature abilities sound like they could be some good PC challenges.
Monster Manual IV came out last summer, and it has some interesting new creatures. Among these is the lodestone marauder, a creature that uses magnetic powers as well as ripping and tearing to overcome its meals... er... foes. And as usual, we know that because one can exist, variants of it can exist in other campaign worlds or planes or places in the campaign world. Variant creatures of this type can even exist in the modern world, or the future world, and there their magnetic powers work especially effectively when disarming foes.
A lodestone marauder is a Large aberration, which gives us a lot of interesting templates with which to work. Five different templates are featured on the variants below; it's sort of a two-template theme month.
d20 Modern: Fiery Marauder
A fire element lodestone marauder combines the marauder's potent magnetic abilities with a fiery flair, making for an interesting creature. The element template is presented in Manual of the Planes, and it is adapted for d20 Modern along with the creature.
A fire element lodestone marauder looks like a lodestone marauder, but flames sheath it at all times, causing its metallic-looking spikes to flicker in fire. It resembles nothing so much as some kind of mecha or robot, but it is very much alive. It uses the tactics described for a lodestone marauder, taking advantage of the fact that it deals additional fire damage when it hits and when it is hit.
Fire Element Lodestone Marauder CR 11
Large elemental (fire)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +8, Spot +8
Languages --
Defense 24, touch 10, flat-footed 23; magnetic defense (-1 size, +1 Dex, +14 natural)
hp 115 (11 HD); DR 5/magic; Mas 22
Immune fire, poison, sleep, paralysis, stunning, critical hits
Resist stability (+4 against bull rush and trip)
Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +8
Weakness vulnerability to cold
Action Points 0
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 20 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +15 (1d8+7 plus 1d6 fire) and
2 claws +12 each (1d6+3 plus 1d6 fire)
Fighting Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +8; Grp +19
Atk Options Power Attack
Special Actions burn, heat, magnetic attraction, magnetic repulsion
AbilitiesStr 24, Dex 13, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 8
AL neutral; Rep +0
SQ magnetic defense, stability
Feats Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Climb +15, Listen +8, Spot +8
* A lodestone marauder can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Magnetic Defense (Su) A lodestone marauder gains a +4 deflection bonus to AC against all attacks from sources made wholly or substantially of metal.
Stability (Ex) A lodestone marauder has a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Burn (Ex) Those hit by a fire element lodestone marauder's natural attacks must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 18) or catch on fire for 1d4 rounds. The fire does 1d6 points of damage every round that it is burning. Creatures that hit the fire element lodestone marauder with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as if hit by the creature's attacks and must succeed on a Reflex save to avoid catching on fire.
Heat (Ex) When making attacks with natural weapons, a fire element lodestone marauder does 1d6 points of fire damage in addition to the damage from the attacks.
Magnetic Attraction (Su) A lodestone marauder can create a pulse of magnetic energy within a 30-foot-radius emanation that sends metal objects hurtling toward it. An affected creature carrying such an object must succeed on a DC 21 Reflex save or drop the object in its space. Objects fastened down in some way, such as properly donned armor, automatically succeed on the save. At the marauder's option, held or unattended objects that fail this save are drawn in a straight line toward it. Such objects stick to its body, and they can be removed only on the marauder's death or with a DC 21 Strength check. The save and check DCs are Constitution-based.
Magnetic Repulsion (Su) This ability works like magnetic attraction, except repulsion pushes objects away from the marauder within a 30-foot-radius burst. An affected creature carrying such an object must succeed on a DC 21 Reflex save or drop the object in its space. All creatures wearing metal armor or carrying metal shields within the area of the marauder must succeed on DC 21 Reflex saves or be knocked prone. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Pseudonatural Half-Dragon (White) Lodestone Marauder
The lodestone marauder is already dangerous, but add in the white dragon's breath weapon and it becomes a little scarier. On top of that, this creature can change into a tentacled mass of horror that can still breathe cold and use its magnetic abilities. The pseudonatural template is presented in Complete Arcane.
In combat, this creature uses its magnetic repulsion ability first, then breathes a cone of cold on as many foes as possible, and then uses its magnetic attraction ability to collect the dropped weapons. Then it moves in with claws and teeth until it can breathe again.
A pseudonatural half-dragon (white) lodestone marauder resembles a standard lodestone marauder, except that scales with a metallic sheen cover its skin, and it has great dragonlike wings rising above its back. It can also turn into a mass of tentacles and pseudopods of the same shape and size.
Pseudonatural Half-Dragon (White) Lodestone Marauder CR 13
N Large outsider
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +15, Spot +15
Languages --
AC 28, touch 10, flat-footed 27; magnetic defense (-1 size, +1 Dex, +18 natural)
hp 148 (11 HD); DR 5/magic
Immune cold, paralysis effects, sleep
Resist acid 10, electricity 10, stability (+4 against bull rush and trip); SR 21
Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +8
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 20 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (average)
Melee bite +19 (1d8+11) and
2 claws +16 each (1d6+5)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +8; Grp +23
Atk Options Power Attack
Special Actions breath weapon, magnetic attraction, magnetic repulsion, true strike
Abilities Str 32, Dex 13, Con 24, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 10
SQ alternate form, magnetic defense, stability
Feats Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Climb +33, Listen +8, Spot +8
* A lodestone marauder can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Magnetic Defense (Su) A lodestone marauder gains a +4 deflection bonus to AC against all attacks from sources made wholly or substantially of metal.
Stability (Ex) A lodestone marauder has a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Breath Weapon (Su) 30-foot cone, once per day, damage 6d8 acid, Reflex DC 22 half.
Magnetic Attraction (Su) A lodestone marauder can create a pulse of magnetic energy within a 30-foot-radius emanation that sends metal objects hurtling toward it. An affected creature carrying such an object must succeed on a DC 22 Reflex save or drop the object in its space. Objects fastened down in some way, such as properly donned armor, automatically succeed on the save. At the marauder's option, held or unattended objects that fail this save are drawn in a straight line toward it. Such objects stick to its body, and they can be removed only on the marauder's death or with a DC 22 Strength check. The save and check DCs are Constitution-based.
Magnetic Repulsion (Su) This ability works like magnetic attraction, except repulsion pushes objects away from the marauder within a 30-foot-radius burst. An affected creature carrying such an object must succeed on a DC 22 Reflex save or drop the object in its space. All creatures wearing metal armor or carrying metal shields within the area of the marauder must succeed on DC 22 Reflex saves or be knocked prone. The save DC is Constitution-based.
True Strike (Su) Once per day a pseudonatural half-dragon (white) lodestone marauder can gain a +20 insight bonus on a single attack roll. In addition, the creature suffers no miss chance against a target that has concealment or total concealment when making this attack.
Alternate Form (Su) As a standard action, a pseudonatural half-dragon (white) lodestone marauder can take the form of a grotesque, tentacled mass. Despite the alien appearance, its abilities remain unchanged. Other creatures receive a -1 morale penalty on attack rolls against the pseudonatural creature when it is in this form.
Corrupted Half-Fey Lodestone Marauder
This twisted evil variant on the base creature uses the half-fey template from the Fiend Folio and the corrupted template from Book of Vile Darkness. The combination creates a creature that looks statistically very like the above half-dragon variant if the half-dragon variety were green, but its appearance and effect on the player characters are very different.
The corrupted half-fey lodestone marauder fights very much like the standard lodestone marauder, since the two templates don't add much in the way of new combat options. However, this variant does have spell-like abilities that it may remember to use at the beginning of a combat (either before or after attempting to disarm the foes of all metal weapons). It doesn't remember its spell-like abilities very often, though, because its experience with them is that foes generally resist the ones that allow saving throws.
The corrupted half-fey lodestone marauder visually resembles a fey version of a lodestone marauder, which is to say it is more delicate-looking. Its elongated spikes are thinner and more pointed, and its metallic skin appears polished. It also has the butterflylike wings of a fey creature that can fly. All this fey loveliness is twisted and bent and pulled and warped, so that its features are not in quite the right place and its wings look warped, enlarged, and bulbous.
Corrupted Half-Fey Lodestone Marauder CR 13
NE Large aberration
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Listen +15, Spot +15
Languages --
AC 28, touch 10, flat-footed 27; magnetic defense (-1 size, +1 Dex, +18 natural)
hp 115 (11 HD); fast healing 5; DR 5/magic
Immune acid, enchantment spells and effects
Resist stability (+4 against bull rush and trip)
Fort +10, Ref +4, Will +8
Speed 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 20 ft., climb 20 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)
Melee bite +17 (2d6+9 plus 5 vile) and
2 claws +14 each (1d8+4 plus 5 vile)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +8; Grp +21
Atk Options Power Attack
Special Actions magnetic attraction, magnetic repulsion
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th):
At will -- charm person (DC 12)
3/day -- detect law, protection from law
1/day -- hypnotism (DC 12), faerie fire or glitterdust (DC 13), sleep (DC 12) or enthrall (DC 13), Tasha's hideous laughter (DC 13) or suggestion (DC 14), confusion (DC 15), eyebite (DC 17) or lesser geas (DC 15), dominate person (DC 16) or hold monster (DC 16)
Abilities Str 28, Dex 13, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
SQ disruptive attack, enhanced power, magnetic defense, stability Feats Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Climb +17, Listen +15, Spot +15
* A lodestone marauder can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
Magnetic Defense (Su) A lodestone marauder gains a +4 deflection bonus to AC against all attacks from sources made wholly or substantially of metal.
Stability (Ex) A lodestone marauder has a +4 bonus on ability checks made to resist being bull rushed or tripped when standing on the ground (but not when climbing, flying, or otherwise not standing firmly on the ground).
Disruptive Attack (Su) A corrupted half-fey lodestone marauder deals 5 additional points of vile damage when it touches uncorrupted, living, corporeal nonoutsiders.
Enhanced Power (Su) The saving throw DCs for all of a corrupted half-fey lodestone marauder's special attacks increase by 4 (included above).
Magnetic Attraction: a lodestone marauder can create a pulse of magnetic energy within a 30-foot-radius emanation that sends metal objects hurtling toward it.
Could be a possible disarm (improved: weapon in creature inventory) situation at the very least for metal weapons. I was also thinking that those engaged in melee combat in metal armor would have to make a save (STR) or have AC reduced and be stuck in place for a round or two.
Magnetic Repulsion: this ability works like magnetic attraction, except repulsion pushes objects away from the marauder within a 30-foot-radius burst.
This would be the obvious knockdown situation and possibly cause a disarm (dropped weapon).
I am going to fire up 3ds Max and see about getting a decent model started, but I would definitely need help on scripting those behaviours and to figure out what things are possible in the engine.
10 - A Masterpiece, Genuinely Groundbreaking 9 - Outstanding, a Must Have 8 - Excellent, Recommended to Anyone 7 - Very Good, Deserves a Look 6 - Good, Qualified Recommendation 5 - Fair, Solid yet Unremarkable 4 - Some Merit, Requires Improvements 3 - Poor Execution, Potential Unrealized 2 - Very Little Appeal 1 - Not Recommended to Anyone
Site
