User:Aarnott/Lego Bin 5

Cold Themed Monsters

I've had an interest for a while in making a whole "book" of cold-themed monsters. I'm going to get started now :).

Arcane Arctic

One thing that I find strange about a lot of D&D environments is that they are practically designed to be like our world with random monsters thrown in because they thematically make sense. D&D is a world where a person can learn to tap into arcane powers that flow everywhere. Some people literally channel the reality altering abilities of gods. The monsters I design here take these assumptions into account.

The arcane arctic is an environment that can be included in virtually any D&D setting. It is filled with magic, and consequently, creatures have adapted to this magic and developed to feed from it or use it. A region of arcane arctic forms when a rift between a cold region of the Elemental Plane of Water and the material plane is opened. The surrounding area undergoes a rapid ice age, killing off most life in the area. If left for a long time, creatures develop; some as the direct result of the cold magic infusion provided by the elemental plane, others as creatures that thrive in the presence of cold magic.

When the rifts to the elemental plane of water are initially formed, they usually occur at the base of a lake or ocean. The resulting breach between planes creates a tremendous shearing force that emanates from the point of the rift. The emanation creates cracks all over the surrounding landscape that is above sea level, which forms a massive underground network of caves. Many of these caves are supplied with direct veins to the elemental planar rift and have fountains of ice that flow as fluidly as water. These fountains are highly magical in nature and are actually supplying pure cold magic to the area.

The creatures native to the arcane arctic have developed based on the massive influx of cold magic. Most creatures have the capability to use rudimentary cold magic. To the creatures themselves, this doesn't make much of a difference. It is as natural to them as walking. To creatures that are not native to the environment the cold magic can be a harsh surprise. It seems as if just about everything is immune to or absorbs cold magic and also has the ability to use at least ray of frost.

Will continue later...

Ice Borers

Ice Borer, Juvenile

CR 1/2

	N Small Magical Beast (Cold)
Init/Senses	+0/Blind, tremorsense 60ft.; Listen +1, Spot +1
AC	13, touch 11, flat-footed 13; Burrow Cover (+2 natural, +1 size)
hp	6 (1d10+1 HD)
Immune	cold
Fort/Ref/Will	+3/+2/+1
Weakness	vulnerability to fire
Speed	10ft. (2 squares), burrow 25ft. (5 squares); Burrow Cover
Melee	bite +2 (1d3-2)
Space/Reach	5ft./5ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+1/-5
Atk Options	Burrow Strike, Frost Bite (+1d6 cold)
Abilities	Str 7, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 6
Feats	Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills	Escape Artist +5, Survival +4
Advancement	2 HD (Small)
Blind	An ice borer is blind and can only "see" with its tremorsense. It has fine tuned this sense and is attracted to attack warm living creatures, however.
Burrow Cover (Ex)	If an ice borer starts its turn below ground, it gets cover if it goes above ground until the start of its next turn (+4 AC, +2 reflex saves).
Burrow Strike (Ex)	Enemies are considered flat-footed against an ice borer if they have no way to detect it while it is underground and then it charges the target.
Frost Bite (Ex)	If an ice borer qualifies for a sneak attack, it deals an extra 1d6 cold damage with a successful bite attack.

Ice Borer, Adult

CR 2

	N Small Magical Beast (Cold)
Init/Senses	+2/Blind, tremorsense 60ft.; Listen +1, Spot +1
AC	15, touch 13, flat-footed 13; Burrow Cover (+2 natural, +2 dex, +1 size)
hp	19 (3d10+3 HD)
Immune	cold
Fort/Ref/Will	+4/+3/+2
Weakness	vulnerability to fire
Speed	10ft. (2 squares), burrow 30ft. (6 squares); Burrow Cover
Melee	bite +6/+1 (1d3-2)
Space/Reach	5ft./5ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+3/-3
Atk Options	Burrow Strike, Frost Bite (+2d6 cold)
Abilities	Str 7, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 6
Feats	Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Finesse
Skills	Escape Artist +8, Survival +5
Advancement	4-5 HD (Small)
Blind	An ice borer is blind and can only "see" with its tremorsense. It has fine tuned this sense and is attracted to attack warm living creatures, however.
Burrow Cover (Ex)	If an ice borer starts its turn below ground, it gets cover if it goes above ground until the start of its next turn (+4 AC, +2 reflex saves).
Burrow Strike (Ex)	Enemies are considered flat-footed against an ice borer if they have no way to detect it while it is underground and then it charges the target.
Frost Bite (Ex)	If an ice borer qualifies for a sneak attack, it deals an extra 2d6 cold damage with a successful bite attack.

Ice Borer, Greater

CR 4

	N Medium Magical Beast (Cold)
Init/Senses	+1/Blind, tremorsense 120ft.; Listen +1, Spot +1
AC	16, touch 11, flat-footed 15; Burrow Cover, Dodge, Mobility (+5 natural, +1 dex)
hp	39 (6d10+6 HD)
Immune	cold
Fort/Ref/Will	+6/+6/+3
Weakness	vulnerability to fire
Speed	10ft. (2 squares), burrow 40ft. (8 squares); Burrow Cover
Melee	bite +8/+6 (1d4+2)
Space/Reach	5ft./5ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+6/+8
Atk Options	Burrow Strike, Frost Bite (+3d6 cold)
Abilities	Str 14, Dex 13, Con 13, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 6
Feats	Multiattack, Dodge, Mobility
Skills	Survival +10
Advancement	7-8 HD (Medium)
Blind	An ice borer is blind and can only "see" with its tremorsense. It has fine tuned this sense and is attracted to attack warm living creatures, however.
Burrow Cover (Ex)	If an ice borer starts its turn below ground, it gets cover if it goes above ground until the start of its next turn (+4 AC, +2 reflex saves).
Burrow Strike (Ex)	Enemies are considered flat-footed against an ice borer if they have no way to detect it while it is underground and then it charges the target.
Frost Bite (Ex)	If an ice borer qualifies for a sneak attack, it deals an extra 3d6 cold damage with a successful bite attack.

Bursting through the snow and earth below you, an ice borer emerges. The creature resembles a grub in shape, but it is composed of a tough, red, icy substance that reflects light like a mirror. It has sharp mandibles that it uses to bore through rock, ice, and snow, and it has a long needle protruding from its mouth.

Ice borers are a common monstrous pest in icy environments. When they are near cities, they attack livestock and unattended children. They are often intelligent enough to avoid attacking adult humanoids, and it is speculated that they can communicate with each other somehow to share this aversion. Farther out in the wilds, however, ice borers will not hesitate to attack groups of creatures.

Ice borers have a special ability to inject a target with a fluid that freezes their blood. Whenever an ice borer can surprise or distract its target, it is able to inject it with the fluid and deal extra cold damage. Ice borers feed exclusively on frozen flesh.

Combat

Ice borers like to strike and retreat, making full use of their ability to create cover for themselves and use their frost bite ability. A typical ice borer uses the following tactics:

• Round 1: Burrow Strike a target, hitting with a frost bite.
• Round 2: Withdraw action to go below ground.
• Round 3: Repeat.

Adult and greater ice borers will sometimes stay above ground to make two attacks per round if they can use frost bite, increasing the overall damage it can deal. They also will often work together to create flanking opportunities.

Training an Ice Borer

Ice borers make excellent guards, especially in caves. Training an ice borer from hatching into its juvenile stage requires two weeks of work and a DC 20 Handle Animal check.

More training must be done before the ice borer becomes an adult (2 months after becoming a juvenile) or else it will become wild. The training requires two weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check.

Even more training must be done before the ice borer becomes greater (4 months after becoming an adult) or else it will become wild. The training requires two weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check.

Ice borers live one year after they become greater ice borers.

Ice borer eggs are worth 500 gp apiece on the open market. Trained juveniles are worth 1,000 gp each, trained adults are worth 2,000 gp each, and trained greater ice borers are worth 4,000 gp each.

Snowflake

Snowflake

CR 1

	N Medium Elemental (Cold)
Init/Senses	-1/darkvision 60ft.; Listen +6, Spot +6
AC	15, touch 12, flat-footed 15; DR 1/—, not subject to critical hits or flanking. (+3 deflection, +3 natural, -1 dex)
hp	28 (3d8+15 HD)
Immune	Cold, Mind-effecting abilities, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, and stunning.
Resist	fire 5
Fort/Ref/Will	+7/+0/+2
Weakness	vulnerability to sonic damage
Speed	30ft. (6 squares); Hover
Melee	Ray of Frost +1 ranged touch (1d3 cold damage, 30ft. range, Su effect)
Space/Reach	5ft./5ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+2/+2
Atk Options	Cold Shield
Abilities	Str 11, Dex 9, Con 19, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 4
SQ	Mindless, Attracted to Cold, Shattered Remains
Feats	Toughness, Alertness
Skills	Listen +6, Spot +6
Advancement	4–5 HD (Medium), 6-7 HD (Large)
Hover (Su)	Snowflakes hover approximately 3 feet above the ground and as such ignore difficult terrain, do not trigger traps on the ground, etc.
Attracted to Cold (Ex)	Whenever a creature would deal cold damage to a snowflake, it makes a will saving throw DC 10 + cold damage that would be dealt. If it fails, the creature gains control of the snowflake for 5 minutes and can mentally command it as a move action to use its Ray of Frost against targets and its Cold Shield on allies. It will continue to take these actions until otherwise directed. If it would take further cold damage from its master during the duration, the duration is reset, potentially allowing creatures with a constant way to deal cold damage to control a snowflake indefinitely.
Cold Shield (Su)	As a swift action, a snowflake can grant a creature within 30ft. 5 temporary hitpoints until the snowflake's next round. If another creature damages the creature with the temporary hitpoints, it takes 1 cold damage for every 2 temporary hitpoints it removes. Snowflakes cannot be targeted by Cold Shield.
Shattered Remains (Su)	When a snowflake is destroyed, it leaves broken crystalline shards on the ground that count as difficult terrain and deal 1 cold damage to any creature that steps on the square. This effect lasts for 5 minutes.

Snowflake, Greater

CR 5

	N Huge Elemental (Cold)
Init/Senses	-1/darkvision 60ft.; Listen +9, Spot +8
AC	23, touch 13, flat-footed 22; DR 3/—, not subject to critical hits or flanking. (+6 deflection, +10 natural, -1 dex, -2 size)
hp	101 (8d8+64 HD)
Immune	Cold, Mind-effecting abilities, poison, sleep effects, paralysis, and stunning.
Resist	fire 15
Fort/Ref/Will	+14/+1/+5
Weakness	vulnerability to sonic damage
Speed	30ft. (6 squares); Hover
Melee	Ray of Cold +5 ranged touch (2d6 cold damage, 2 dex damage (Fort DC 17 half), 45ft. range, Su effect)
Space/Reach	15ft./15ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+6/+14
Atk Options	Cold Shield
Abilities	Str 11, Dex 9, Con 28, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 4
SQ	Mindless, Attracted to Cold, Shattered Remains
Feats	Toughness, Alertness, Iron Will
Skills	Listen +9, Spot +8
Advancement	9–13 HD (Huge), 14-19 HD (Gargantuan)
Hover (Su)	Snowflakes hover approximately 3 feet above the ground and as such ignore difficult terrain, do not trigger traps on the ground, etc.
Attracted to Cold (Ex)	Whenever a creature would deal cold damage to a greater snowflake, it makes a will saving throw DC equal to the cold damage that would be dealt. If it fails, the creature gains control of the snowflake for 5 minutes and can mentally command it as a move action to use its Ray of Cold against targets and its Cold Shield on allies. It will continue to take these actions until otherwise directed. If it would take further cold damage from its master during the duration, the duration is reset, potentially allowing creatures with a constant way to deal cold damage to control a snowflake indefinitely.
Cold Shield (Su)	As a swift action, a greater snowflake can grant a creature within 45ft. 25 temporary hitpoints until the snowflake's next round. If another creature damages the creature with the temporary hitpoints, it takes 1 cold damage for every 2 temporary hitpoints it removes. Snowflakes cannot be targeted by Cold Shield.
Shattered Remains (Su)	When a greater snowflake is destroyed, it leaves broken crystalline shards on the ground that count as difficult terrain and deal 5 cold damage to any creature that steps on the square. This effect lasts for 5 minutes.

Floating three feet above the ground is a icy crystalline lattice that resembles a snowflake. Around it is a eerie blue glow and although it is cold enough already, you feel as if the temperature has dropped a few degrees.

Snowflakes are created in places where powerful magical springs have frozen over. Although they are native to another plane, their essence is almost always formed in the material plane, drawing power from other planes to form the snowflake.

They are strongly attracted to magical cold and will obey all of the wishes to the best of their ability of those who provide them with magical cold energy.

Combat

Snowflakes are docile unless they are used as a tool by another creature. Other creatures will make liberal use of their Cold Shield ability to focus attention on the Snowflake. The snowflake's main role in combat is, therefore, to defend other creatures.

Snowflake tactics are extremely simple and direct.

Arctic Stallion

Arctic Stallion

CR 4

	N Large Magical Beast
Init/Senses	+1/darkvision 60ft., low-light vision, scent; Listen +6, Spot +6
AC	16, touch 10, flat-footed 15 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +6 natural)
hp	52 (5d10+25 HD)
Resist	Cold 5 (cold absorb 1)
Fort/Ref/Will	+9/+5/+3
Weakness	Mild fire vulnerability
Speed	50ft. (10 squares); Icewalking
Melee	2 hooves +8 melee (1d6+4) and bite +3 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach	10ft./5ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+5/+13
Spell-Like Abilities	(CL 5th, DCs are wisdom-based): 3/day—Scorching Ray (cold damage instead of fire damage) 2/day—quickened Burning Hands (cold damage instead of fire damage, DC 13) 1/day—quickened Chill Touch (DC 13) at will—Ray of Frost
Abilities	Str 18, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 5, Wis 14, Cha 6
Feats	Endurance, Run
Skills	Listen +6, Spot +6
Advancement	6–12 HD (Large)
Mild fire vulnerability	Arctic stallions take 50% extra fire damage, to a maximum of 5 extra damage from any single source of fire damage.
Icewalking (Ex)	Arctic stallions are at home in icy environments. They can move freely on ice and snow as if it were regular terrain.
Cold Absorb (Ex)	Whenever an arctic stallion resists cold damage, it heals 1 HP.

This horse has a thick coat of fur covering its body. Strands of the fur glitter with an icy blue gleam as if the creature has cold magic flowing right through it.

Arctic stallions are the result of regular horses being infused with cold magic. They consume grasses that grow on top of snowy steppes, but can survive almost indefinitely just by being in the presence of cold magic.

The process of the cold infusion has granted this former species of animals sentience. Although they are unable to speak, they can easily understand the native languages of nearby humanoid species and often will work with friendly humanoid settlements in return for protection.

As a result, many humanoid settlements have tamed arctic stallions and it is not uncommon for them to be reared and trained by a skilled beast tamer.

Combat

Arctic stallions that live on the borders of the arcane arctic have learned that their cold magics can be very effective in warding off dangerous enemies. They are reluctant to make a full-scale assault immediately against creatures that threaten their herd and instead prefer to employ hit-and-run tactics.

Arctic stallions prefer to use difficult terrain to their advantage so that they can make a quick retreat if necessary. A typical attack from a herd will employ 3-5 stallions to quickly close in on their targets and use a Chill Touch coupled with a full attack to weaken their enemy.

If the enemy stays close together, the stallions will often try to fire several waves of Burning Hands to hopefully cause enough damage to cause the group to retreat.

If a wild arctic stallion is brought to less than half of its hit points, it will flee the battle and use its at will Ray of Frost to recover its hit points back to full. Once the entire herd has recovered from an attack, they will strike again (usually this is about 10-15 minutes later).

Training an Arctic Stallion

Although intelligent, an arctic stallion requires training before it can bear a rider in combat. To be trained, it must have a friendly attitude toward the trainer (this can be achieved through a successful Diplomacy check). Training a friendly arctic stallion requires six weeks of work and a DC 25 Handle Animal check.

An arctic stallion can fight while carrying a rider, but the rider cannot also attack unless he or she succeeds on a Ride check.

Arctic stallion foals are worth 4,000 gp each on the open market. Professional trainers charge 1,000 gp to rear or train an arctic stallion.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for an arctic stallion is up to 300 pounds; a medium load, 301–600 pounds; and a heavy load, 601–900 pounds. An arctic stallion can drag 4,500 pounds.

Goethi

A monstrous humanoid that is something like a fish and something like a frog. They live in frozen lakes under the ice, but are very territorial about their lake. They are known to raid local settlements for supplies.

Simulacrum Stalker

Simulacrum Stalker (Natural Form)

CR 15

	LE Medium Construct (Shapechanger)
Init/Senses	+1/Telepathy 120ft., Darkvision 30ft.; Listen +4, Spot +4
AC	21, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (+1 dex, +10 natural)
hp	150 (20d10+40 HD)
Fort/Ref/Will	+6/+6/+10
Speed	30ft. (6 squares)
Melee	2 Slams +15 (3d6 cold)
Space/Reach	5ft./5ft.
Base Atk/Grp	+15/+15
Special Actions	Assume Persona, Swap Positions
Abilities	Str 10, Dex 12, Con —, Int 30, Wis 18, Cha 24
SQ	Construct traits, Simulacrum Imprinting, Unique Creation, Magic Immunity
Feats	Skill Focus (disguise), Skill Focus (bluff), Improved Toughness, Combat Expertise, Superior Expertise, Skill Focus (diplomacy), Skill Focus (gather information)
Skills	Bluff +34, diplomacy +34, disguise +34, forgery +34, gather information +34, search +34, spellcraft +34
Advancement	—
Simulacrum Imprinting (Su)	When a simulacrum spell is cast, the creator imprints his abilities on the simulacrum. A simulacrum stalker is the result of an incomplete simulacrum spell and as such, it can use the imprinting capabilities of the simulacrum spell temporarily. Whenever any class feature is used within 60ft. other than spellcasting, power manifestation, or a similar such feature, the simulacrum stalker can, as an immediate action, imprint the class feature. When the simulacrum imprints that class feature, it is treated as if it had the class feature at the same strength as the creature that used it. A simulacrum stalker can only have one imprinted ability at a time and the imprinting only lasts for 5 rounds.
Unique Creation	A simulacrum stalker is uniquely created and magic cannot replicate its abilities. Simulacrum stalkers cannot be summoned nor can a creature gain any of its supernatural abilities if they change shape into a simulacrum stalker.
Assume Persona (Su)	Simulacrum stalkers not only assume the form of a creature, they effectively become a copy of the creature. As a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a simulacrum stalker can assume the form of any creature. A simulacrum stalker becomes an exact copy of the creature (including, but not limited to, type, size, ability scores, feats, any items the creature has, and any auras that creature has). The simulacrum stalker gains all of the abilities of its new form including class features, hitpoints, etc. The only way that it is different from the real creature is the following. It retains its own adgenda and memories. It gains all of the memories of the creature but it must make an Intelligence check DC 20 in order to access the information. The simulacrum stalker loses all spells and effects that are currently affecting it when it uses Assume Persona (although it does gain all spells and effects currently affecting the target). It keeps its Simulacrum Imprinting ability, however. It may also keep its Intelligence, Wisdom, and Charisma scores and its skill ranks if they are higher than the creature it is using Assume Persona on. Assume Persona is an illusory effect that can be detected with a spellcraft check opposed by the simulacrum stalker's disguise check. A simulacrum stalker can assume a persona for as long as it wishes, but after 1 hour it loses all of the ability scores, feats, class features, auras, etc. of the creature that it is copying. Use the statistics provided here after the hour passes, with the exception of the Magic Immunity ability.
Swap Positions (Su)	As a standard action that provokes attacks of opportunity, a simulacrum stalker can magically transpose itself and a target creature. The creature can make a Will save DC 27 to avoid this effect. Whether it succeeds or fails, the simulacrum stalker can use its Assume Persona ability as part of this action. There is no way to tell if a simulacrum stalker used only Assume Persona or Swap Positions to anyone besides the target creature and the simulacrum. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Magic Immunity (Ex)	A simulacrum stalker in its natural form is immune to all kinds of magic. When it uses Assume Persona, it loses this ability.

This creature appears to be something like a malformed snowman lumbering about. Unlike the construction of a joyous child, this abomination has long curled up fingernails at the ends of its snowy arms and tufts of dirty hair sprouting out of the top of its head.

When a simulacrum spell goes horribly wrong in the arcane arctic, these constructs are the result. They are extremely intelligent shapechangers that are nearly impossible to stop with magic. They are experts at disguising themselves as humanoids and they gain a twisted pleasure in maliciously hunting down and murdering everyone connected to their creator, whilst disguising themselves as their most recent victim.

When the initial simulacrum spell is botched up, the simulacrum stalker is made as a near duplicate of the creator. Besides its new purposes and intentions, it has a perfect copy of its creator's memories (unlike other creatures it may copy later on).

Despite their maligned nature, simulacrum stalkers follow a strict code. They make it their sole purpose to murder anyone who is friends or family of their creator. They will not kill any other creature. They understand the nature of their existence from the moment they are created and they believe, in their own twisted way, that any person capable of creating an abomination like a simulacrum stalker should be purged from existence.

When a simulacrum stalker has completed its tasks, it will destroy itself. Some scholars believe that simulacrum stalkers are the result of magic itself gaining sentience and wrathfully enacting its revenge for being manipulated.

Combat

Simulacrum stalkers prefer to take combat on their own terms. If they are fighting a single opponent, they will often use their Assume Persona ability on the opponent and they use the opponent's weaknesses against them.

Against a group of enemies, it will often try to evade conflict by either using Assume Persona or Swap Positions with an enemy in the group. It usually boils down to a state of confusion where the group doesn't know "who is the real Jimmy". It will use this state of confusion to formulate an escape plan.

An interesting consequence of the capabilities of a simulacrum stalker is that its strength scales with that of its enemies. This means that it can be a threat to any creature no matter how powerful it may be.