Machinations of the Space Princess and other OSR goodness

And back once more.roughly 9 months ago, I was thinking of doing DCC/GCC monsters that kinda died as I went through work craziness with the Interface Zero 2.0 writing, and actual work.

I might pick up the GCC reins again later, but it seems that primarily it is a defunct ideal.

Machinations on the other hand is fun...

I'll be working on making monsters from the Expedition to the Barrier Peaks.

So far I've converted the vegepygmies, displacer beast, lurker above, shriekers, police robot, and I'm working on phase spiders.

Steampunk Week - Steam Powered Variant

Iron Golem Variant

This Iron Golem is powered by a magical boiler. While it functions normally, in combat it can release a cone of steam instead of the poison gas cloud. The 30' cone of stream causes 12d6 damage (DC19 Reflex) and may be used once ever 1d4+1 rounds. This ability replaces the poison cloud breath weapon. (CR+0)

Requirements: heat metal, create water

Cost: 1200gp

Iron Horse

The Iron Horse (Clockwork Nightmare) CR7

A whirring and hissing horse trots up, steam billows out of its nostrils and exhaust pipe tail. Gears clank and squeak at its joints as the heavy hooves hit the paving stones with a hiss of steam.

XP 3,600
N Large Construct
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 11, flat-footed 23 (+2 Dex, +14 natural, –1 size)

hp 63 (6d10+30)
Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +0

Defensive abilities Hardness 10, Immune Construct traits; Resistances fire 15

Weaknesses Vulnerability to Electricity, Rust Vulnerability

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.,
Melee bite +12 (1d4+7), 2 hooves +4 (1d6+4 plus 1d4 fire), or slam +12 (1d8+7)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks steamcloud, iron limbs

STATISTICS

Str 24, Dex 14, Con -, Int 9, Wis 7, Cha 8
Base Atk +6; CMB +11; CMD 23 (27 vs. trip)
Feats Alertness, Improved Initiative, Run
Skills Intimidate +10, Perception +9, Sense Motive +9, Stealth +7, Survival +10
Languages Common

SQ Created mind, Hardness, Windup Key, Metal Body

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Created Mind (Ex): Clockwork creatures know nothing when first created, but many are intelligent. On its first day, a clockwork creature functions like any mindless construct, but thereafter its native intelligence comes to the fore, allowing it to reason and improvise. Creators can thus give their clockwork constructs somewhat vague commands and allow them to interpret and act on them, secure in the knowledge that their servants will not act in a way contrary to their desires.

Despite a reasoning intelligence, the clockwork creature remains wholly under the control of its creator and does nothing against that individual’s will. Because of a special bond formed during its first day, the clockwork creature can instinctively detect the location of its creator, regardless of magical and natural barriers, so long as the latter is within 100 feet. This ability prevents anyone from successfully impersonating the creator within that range. If someone resembling its creator issues an order from more than 100 feet away, the clockwork creature might or might not obey, depending on how suspicious it is of the command.

The creator can designate another creature or group of creatures for the clockwork creature to obey, but the creator’s commands always take precedence over those of other designated commanders. If the clockwork creature has an Intelligence score of 3 or higher, it continuously watches designated commanders for signs that they are commanding it against its creator’s intent. Should such a situation occur; the clockwork creature instead acts loyally.

A clockwork creature with an Intelligence of 12 or higher automatically knows when its creator is being forced to act against his own wishes through mental control or other coercion, physical or mental. In such a case, the clockwork creature improvises a way to attain its creator’s true goals without allowing harm to come to him. In the absence of any commands from its creator, a clockwork creature follows the last commands it received. If it knows its creator is dead, it attempts to achieve his goals to the best of its ability

Iron Limbs (Ex) An iron-clad creature’s natural attacks and grapple deal damage as cold iron weapons, overcoming damage reduction just as a cold iron weapon would.

Metal Body (Ex) : Beneath its skin, a clockwork creature is largely composed of metal. It counts as a ferrous creature for the purpose of rusting grasp and other spells that have special effects on metal. This metal body provides the equivalent to medium fortification from critical hits.

Windup Key (Ex) A clockwork creature must be wound up each day by placing a small key into a special orifice and turning it—an action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

For each full round that the key is turned, the clockwork creature can be active for 4 hours (maximum 24 hours). In most cases, the creator either retains his construct’s key or gives it to the clockwork creature so that it can keep itself running. When the clockwork creature runs down, it becomes immobile, helpless, and unconscious, and it remains so until wound up again. Anyone can wind up a clockwork creature without the key by making a successful Open Locks check as a full-round action (DC based on the quality of lock the creator built into the clockwork creature). This technique allows the clockwork creature 4 hours of activity (maximum 24 hours) for each such successful check.

Steamcloud (Su) In battle, an iron horse exhales smoke that chokes and blinds foes, filling a 15-foot cone each round as a free action. Anyone in the cone must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or become sickened until 1d6 minutes after leaving the area. This smoke acts as obscuring mist for the purposes of concealment. The steamcloud persists for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

ECOLOGY

Environment as creator
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (3–12)

Treasure none

This construct is only modeled on the hellish nightmare, it is actually a clockwork construct, with windup key, however it does have a somewhat intelligent created mind.

Design Notes: I didn't want the Iron Horse to fly, but the smoke was just too good to pass up, so I got rid of fly and plane shift abilities and added the Iron Clad template without increase in lieu of that particular CR Increase. Renamed smoke to steamcloud. I had to tweak the CR, it didn't feel like a CR8 creature as it only has 5 hit dice, so I downgraded it from 8 to 7. I may still update the fortification on these templates, as that is in line with the 3.5 rules of construct immunity to criticals, I have to think on this. The hardness from the clockwork template now seems a bit clunky, so I may update the pair of abilities to a DR.

Cost to Construct: TBD according to the construction rules in Ultimate Magic.

Steampunk Week - Brass Bulldog

BRASS BULLDOG CR2

A stocky Chelaxian Bulldog approaches, though this bulldog seems to have brass plates riveted to it, it bares metallic teeth as at you.

Metal Clad (brass) template (Advanced bestiary pg. 171)

XP 600
N Medium animal

Init +1; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +7

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 11, flat-footed 14 (+1 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 15 (2d8+6)
Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +0 Defensive Abilities Light Fortification; Resistance fire 5 Weaknesses vulnerability to electricity

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft

Melee bite +4 (1d6+3 plus trip) , +4 slam (1d6+4)

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 6 Base Atk +1;

CMB +3; CMD 15 (19 vs. trip)
Feats Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Acrobatics +2 (+10 jumping), Perception +7, Survival +0(+4 scent tracking); Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics when jumping, +4 Survival when tracking by scent

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary, pair, or pack (3–12)

Treasure none

Larger dogs (known to Small races like halflings and gnomes as riding dogs) include hardier breeds such as huskies, mastiffs, and wolfhounds. A riding dog can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a DC 10 Ride check. This one has been modified by magic and alchemy; heavy brass plates are riveted in place over the animal, its claws and teeth replaced with brass as well.

Steampunk Week - Clockwork Scorpion

Clockwork Scorpion CR3

1 ton of brass and iron comes clanking around the corner, it snaps its nastily serrated pincers at you before it charges, it’s syringe like tail dripping with a noxious green liquid.

Clockwork template (Advanced bestiary pg.43)

XP 800
N Construct (vermin)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +1

DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+7 natural, +2 Dex)
hp 36 (3d10+20)
Fort -, Ref +2, Will +1
Immune construct traits Resistance acid, cold, and fire 10

OFFENSE

Speed 60 ft., climb 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +4 (1d4+2), sting +4 (1d4+2 plus poison)
Special Attacks rend (2 claws, 2d4+4)

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 14, Con —, Int —, Wis 6, Cha 0
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 16 (28 vs. trip)

Skills Climb +2, Perception -2, Stealth +0

SQ mindless

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Poison (ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 12; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Str; cure 1 save. As this is in a syringe, it can easily be replaced with a more virulent poison.

Hardness (Ex): A clockwork creature has a hardness of 10. This quality functions like object hardness, even though a clockwork scorpion is not an object.

Metal Body (Ex): Beneath its skin, a clockwork creature is largely composed of metal. It counts as a ferrous creature for the purpose of rusting grasp and other spells that have special effects on metal.

Vulnerability to Electricity (Ex): Because the delicate interior mechanisms of a clockwork creature are particularly vulnerable to electricity damage, it takes double damage from electricity on a failed save and half damage on a successful save.

Windup Key (Ex): A clockwork creature must be wound up each day by placing a small key into a special orifice and turning it—an action that provokes attacks of opportunity.

For each full round that the key is turned, the clockwork creature can be active for 4 hours (maximum 24 hours). In most cases, the creator either retains his construct’s key or gives it to the clockwork creature so that it can keep itself running. When the clockwork creature runs down, it becomes immobile, helpless, and unconscious, and it remains so until wound up again. Anyone can wind up a clockwork creature without the key by making a successful Open Locks check as a full-round action (DC based on the quality of lock the creator built into the clockwork creature). This technique allows the clockwork creature 4 hours of activity (maximum 24 hours) for each such successful check.

ECOLOGY

Environment as creator
Organization solitary, pair, or swarm (3–12)
Treasure none

The clockwork scorpion is quite obviously based on the cave scorpion. The scorpion’s tail syringe is loaded with 10 doses of poison, typically this is medium scorpion poison, however any injection poison may be loaded into the syringe.

Theme of the Week - Steampunk

Going to start a theme this week.

As I love steampunk so much, this week shall resolve around Steampunk flavored monsters.

Sunday Surprise - Thunder Lizard

THUNDER LIZARD (Thunder Child Shocker Lizard) CR4

This dog-sized lizard has two horns, one on either side of its head, and blue scales that pulsate with lightning.

Thunder Child template (Advanced Bestiary pg 237)

XP 600
N Small Outsider (elemental, air, extraplanar)

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., electricity sense, low-light vision; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 17, flat-footed 14 (+2 Dex, +3 natural, +1 size, +4 dodge)

hp 19 (3d10+3)
Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +3;
Immune electricity, inhaled poisons; Resistances Cold 10

Special Defenses electric aura, electric grapple

OFFENSE

Speed 80 ft., climb 40 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee bite +4 (1d4+1d6 electical)
Space 5 ft. Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks shock, breath weapon,

STATISTICS

Str 10, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 15, Cha 6;
Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 18 (22 vs. trip)
Feats Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Stealth), Lightning Reflexes, and Quick Draw
Skills Climb +8, Perception +8, Stealth +17, Swim +8; Racial Modifiers +2 Perception, +4 Stealth, +4 Survival, +4 Knowledge (nature)

Languages Auran

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd)

3/day—fog cloud, gaseous form, sound burst (DC13)

ECOLOGY

Environment mountain lakes, elemental plane of air
Organization solitary, pair, clutch (3-6), or colony (7-12)
Treasure incidental

SQ Electricity Sense, Cloud Sight, Lightning Jump

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Electricity Sense (Ex) Shocker lizards automatically detect any electrical discharges within 100 feet.

Shock (Su) Shocker lizards can deliver an electrical shock to a single opponent within 5 feet. This attack deals 1d8 points of nonlethal electricity damage to living opponents (Reflex DC 12 half ). This save DC is Constitution-based. Additionally, if two or more shocker lizards are within 20 feet of each other, they can work together to create a lethal shock once every 1d4 rounds. This effect has a radius of 20 feet, centered on any one contributing lizard. All creatures within that radius take 2d8 points of lethal electricity damage for each lizard contributing to the shock, to a maximum of 12d8. A Reflex save (DC 10 + the number of lizards contributing) halves the damage.

Breath Weapon (Ex): Once every 1d4 rounds, a thunder child can breathe a 5-foot-wide line of lightning 100 feet long plus 10 feet per 2 character levels it possesses. If the thunder child wishes, it may breathe a line half as long but 10 feet wide. Every creature in the area must make a Refl ex save (DC 10 + 1/2 thunder child’s character level + thunder child’s Con modifi er) or take 1d6 points of electricity damage per 2 character levels the thunder child possesses (minimum 1d6). Success halves the damage.

Electric Aura (Ex): A thunder child emits an aura of electricity that can wound nearby creatures. Any creature within 10 feet of a thunder child must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 13) each round that it remains within range or take 1d6 points of electricity damage. A thunder child can suppress or resume the use of this ability as a free action.

Electric Grapple (Ex): Any creature grappling a thunder child takes 2d6 points of electricity damage each round that the grapple is maintained. Electricity (Ex): Each of a thunder child’s natural melee attacks and attacks with metallic melee weapons deals +1d6 points of electricity damage.

Cloud Sight (Ex): A thunder child can see through clouds, gases, fogs, mists, and smoke as though they didn’t inhibit vision. Creatures and objects do not gain concealment from a thunder child due to such conditions. A thunder child may use this ability while gaseous.

Immunities (Ex): A thunder child is immune to inhaled poisons and gas-, fog-, or cloud-based attacks and spells.

Lightning Jump (Ex): When a thunder child breathes lightning, it may teleport with no chance of error to any location within the area of the lightning attack as a free action. It must make this jump immediately after using its breath weapon.

A thunder lizard has a sky-blue underside, with bright blue scales elsewhere on its 3-foot-long body, and weighs about 25 pounds. Shocker lizards tend toward group living, as their electrical abilities grow in power when they are close to another lizard. A thunder lizard colony is usually located near a source of water, or high in the mountains. Once the colony has settled on a location, the lizards become very territorial and attack anything that intrudes on them. A solitary thunder lizard is timid but semi-intelligent creature —but when several of them gather they become formidable and fearsome opponents capable of killing creatures several times their own size.

A thunder lizard relies on its electricity abilities in combat, and a lizard tends to bite only after its shock has rendered an opponent unconscious, or when the shock seems to have no effect at all. A solitary lizard flees once it delivers its shocks, but if other shocker lizards are nearby, they all hone in on their comrade's discharges and attempt to administer lethal shocks to their foe.

Many have attempted to capture and tame thunder lizards, but this often proves a difficult and painful task. Alone and in captivity, thunder lizards attempt to use lightning jump to escape unless their keepers spend a lot of time grooming and playing with the lizards to keep them company. Kept in pairs or larger numbers, captive thunder lizards thrive, but their increasing electrical ability makes them more difficult to manage for keepers who aren't themselves immune to electricity.