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"It is never too late to choose to be a different person."
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Grimlock
Image by Adam Rex, © Wizards of the Coast. Accessed at the Monster Manual v.3.5 Art Gallery here
[As @thecreaturechronicle pointed out in his grimlock conversion, grimlocks are (or at least were) canon in Pathfinder’s Golarion setting, but have been much neglected as of late. That’s a shame.]
Grimlock CR 1 CE Monstrous Humanoid This muscular humanoid has mottled, stony skin, oversized ears and smooth skin where its eyes should be.
Grimlocks are violent marauders native to the deep places of the world. They may come to the surface on raids to collect treasure and food—screaming meat is their favorite. Grimlocks are completely blind and rely on their ears and nose to perceive the world. As such, grimlock technology is much more functional than decorative, and grimlock art is limited to music (the more raucous, the better) and ritual scarification.
Among their own kind, grimlocks are social beings with a strong dominance hierarchy based on might. Fights between grimlocks are common to establish pecking order, but rarely result in lethal violence. Grimlocks are easily impressed by magic but have little talent for it—those that achieve some magical means are well respected in grimlock society. More intelligent and magical beings frequently exploit this awe, and grimlocks can be found as vassals or slaves from other underground races ranging from derro and drow to the strange seugathi and aboleths.
Grimlocks advance by character class, with fighters, rangers and barbarians being the most common among them. Grimlock spellcasters are frequently clerics of a demon lord or Great Old One, but grimlocks with levels in psychic are not unheard of.
I enjoyed a video on being a player at the table recently and wanted to share it with you all. It goes a bit long, I feel, but at the heart of it, for me, is that a D&D character shouldn’t just be a backstory stapled to a stat block. They should be an engine for play.
A person with needs, contradictions, blind spots, fears, assumptions, wants, and opinions that will actually form attachment to the world, story, NPCs, Players (and their characetrs) and, of course, sometimes collide with the world and with the party.
The best character choices are the ones that give the table something to work with.
Know what role you’re playing in the story in the dramatic sense. Are you the skeptic? The heart? The moral compass? The chaos goblin? The truth seeker? The person who says the ugly thing out loud? The one who makes bad decisions for interesting reasons? Your task is to bring something alive to the table that can be challenged, tempted, wounded, proven wrong, and transformed.
It touches on a misstep I see a lot of players make: arriving with every answer pre-written, or an end-game expectation. I believe you'll see better results if you leave blank spaces. Let the campaign teach you who your character is.
Track what your character believes. Track who they trust. Track who they resent. Track what scares them, what they’re avoiding, what they keep pretending not to want. Hell, do yourself a favor and jot some notes you observe in what the other players do here for their characters and they'll LOVE that too.
Because that’s where the actual characters in your campaign live. Not in the backstory or the expectations you set away from the table, but in the moments of pressure, development, change and its impact, and how it all feels during play.
The trick is to make choices that are strong enough to matter, but flexible enough to evolve. Think of the game you're playing and consider this: Your character is loaded dice. Roll them and let the moment shape what they become.
Reblogged manfrommars2049
Conan the Barbarian - art by Doug Beekman (1970s, 1980s, 1990s)
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Harvesting Stick Weapon (quarterstaff), Uncommon (requires attunement)
Crafted from the branch of an ancient olive tree, this quarterstaff is used by monks to gather fruit from the highest branches and defend their tranquil homes from any threat. Its surface holds a faint, perpetual sheen of oil.
This item is a perfect companion for a Monk of the Way of the Olive Grove, turning a humble quarterstaff into a weapon with surprising reach and potent strikes.
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A rural outpost established to patrol the surrounding countryside and keep roads safe - and ensure that local taxes are paid on time and in full. It's a simple defensive structure, consisting of a ten foot stone curtain wall, barracks, and a square, two story tower with battlements. It is unlikely that it would withstand any serious attack or siege, but is sufficient to defend against peasant uprisings and local banditry. The garrison consists of three squads of soldiers (5 men + a sergeant in each) led by a single officer. +++
This is a 3 layer map sized for a 20x20 grid. Supporters can download the full size PNG / VTT files in night/day + grid/gridless variants.
Reblogged dnd-homebrew5e
💎 𝗡𝗲𝘄 𝗶𝘁𝗲𝗺! Infernal Chess Set Wondrous item, legendary ___ This obsidian chess set can fold in half for storage and weighs 10 pounds. The sides are stepped, as if the board were centered in an arena. A tiefling or fiend using this chess set gains a +5 bonus to ability checks made with it. You can use an action while touching the chess set to speak its command word. When you do, you magically shunt two creatures that you can see within 30 feet of you into a special demiplane within the chess set. A creature with an Intelligence score of 5 or lower is immune to this effect. The creatures are forced to play a life-sized version of chess in an arena within the demiplane; each one plays as the living King piece for either side. The arena’s stands are filled with jeering, hellish creatures. For the duration, at the start of each of your turns, both creatures make a contested Intelligence check using the chess set. When a creature succeeds on the check for the second time, both creatures are expelled from the demiplane and reappear in the spaces they left (or the nearest unoccupied ones), and the creature that failed the contested check for a second time takes 10d10 psychic damage. Once this property of the chess set has been used, it can’t be used again until the next dawn. ___ ✨ Patrons get huge perks! Access this and hundreds of other item cards, art files, and compendium entries when you support The Griffon’s Saddlebag on Patreon for as little as $3 a month!
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Crocutamancer (Prestige Class)
(art by ge-oh on deviantart)
(so i heard u leik yeens)
A terrifying hybrid of osteomancy and beast magic, crocutamancy is the art of hyena magic, channeling the beasts' bone crushing jaws and terrifying laugh. Despite its fearsome reputation, crocutamancy seeks to understand and reflect all aspects of its worshiped animal, and it also bears a strong sense of community and a respect for motherhood; societies structured around crocutamancy are invariably matriarchal, and midwifery is considered an essential part of crocutamancy training.
To walk the path of the crocutamancer is to take on the burden of motherhood; all crocutamancers, despite their previous life, carry a feminine aspect and are socially treated as women by their culture.
Role: Crocutamancers are melee warriors at heart, but often supplement martial might with divine magic of some variety. Alignment: Any Hit Dice: d10
Prerequisites
BAB: +4 Proficiencies: Proficient with a Greatclub Skills: Knowledge (Nature) +5 Feats: Power Attack Other: Hyena animal companion
By Grabik
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Blinding Crusader - CR6 Paladin
Sworn to the light.
Artwork by Andreas Pinekenstein on ArtStation.
Paladins are some of my favorite villains in dark fantasy campaigns. Followers of Vildeis are especially fitting as lawful stupid, holier-than-thou antagonists who try to purify and cleanse the land of not just evil, but also neutrality. If you're lame, you can also use this character as a friendly NPC.
Although conceptually a paladin, this creature is inspired by Warcraft paladins more than D&D paladins, and accomplishes that by having a unique archetype which trades away its mercies, Channel Energy, and Divine Grace, and halves the power of Smite Evil, in exchange for spontaneous spellcasting, an increased caster level, and some unique spells.
I included simplified descriptions of the class abilities it possesses, so you don't have to look them up, as I do with a lot of my NPCs.
Blinding Crusader - CR 6
The warrior dressed in golden armor seems to radiate a divine light.
XP 2,400 Human unique paladin 7 LG Medium humanoid (human) Init +1 Senses Perception -1 Aura courage (10 ft.)
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 11, flat-footed 18 (+8 armor, +1 Dex) hp 71 (7d10+28) Fort +9, Ref +4, Will +7 Immune disease, fear
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft. (50 ft. on horseback) Melee +1 greatsword +12/+7 (2d6+7/19–20) or cold iron dagger +9/+4 (1d4+4/19–20) Ranged mwk composite longbow +9/+4 (1d8+4/x3) Special Attacks lesser smite evil (3/day, +1 attack and AC, +3 damage)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +9) At Will—detect evil
Spontaneous Paladin Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +9) 2nd (2/day)—blinding ray (2 rays, ranged touch +8, DC 15), burning consecrate (DC 15) 1st (2/day)—cure light wounds (touch +11, DC 13), hammer of wrath (greatsword ranged attack +9, DC 14), judgment strike, protection from evil
STATISTICS
Str 18, Dex 12, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 8, Cha 14 Base Atk +7; CMB +11; CMD 22 Feats Iron Will, Power Attack, Spell Focus (evocation), Toughness Skills Craft (armor) +5, Craft (weapons) +5, Handle Animal +8, Heal +7, Knowledge (nobility) +5, Knowledge (religion) +8, Ride +8 Languages Common SQ aura of good, divine bond (weapon +1), divine health, lay on hands (3d6, 5/day) Gear mwk half-plate, +1 greatsword, mwk composite longbow (+4 Str) with 20 mithril arrows, cold iron dagger, cloak of resistance +1, silver holy symbol, light horse (combat trained) with military saddle
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Aura of Courage (Su) A blinding crusader is immune to fear (magical or otherwise). Each ally within 10 feet of it gains a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear effects. This ability functions only while the blinding crusader is conscious, not if it is unconscious or dead.
Burning Consecrate (Sp) As a standard action, as a spell-like ability, a blinding crusader can bless an area in a 20-ft. radius. The affected area does not follow the caster. This functions as a consecrate spell except that the area is always cast centered on the blinding crusader (but does not follow it), the duration is reduced to 1 round per caster level (typically 7 rounds), and all enemies of the blinding crusader within the spell's radius take 1d6 damage immediately, plus another 1d6 damage at the start of each of the blinding crusader's turns. The first time each target takes damage, it can roll a Will save (typically DC 15) and a spell resistance check (if it has SR); if a target succeeds on either roll, it takes no damage from this spell, even on subsequent rounds.
Treat this as a 2nd-level evocation spell with the good descriptor. Spell resistance applies to the damage, but not the consecration effect.
Divine Bond (Su) Once per day, as a standard action, a blinding crusader can increase the enhancement bonus of its weapon by +1. If its weapon already has an enhancement bonus, it can choose to instead give its weapon the defending, flaming, keen or merciful property. These bonuses function only for the blinding crusader. If the weapon is destroyed while this Divine Bond is active, the blinding crusader loses the use of Divine Bond and takes a -1 penalty on all attack and weapon damage rolls for 30 days (or until it levels up, whichever comes first).
Hammer of Wrath (Sp) As a standard action, as a spell-like ability, a blinding crusader can launch an image of its melee weapon made of pure light at a foe within close range (typically 40 ft.). The blinding crusader makes a ranged attack against the target. If this attack hits, it deals damage as if with a thrown weapon attack using that weapon (even if the weapon cannot normally be thrown), bypassing all DR, and the target must succeed on a Fortitude save (typically DC 14) or be dazed for 1 round.
This spell can only be used within one round of a creature going unconscious or dying within 100 ft. of the blinding crusader. If the creature considered the blinding crusader an ally, the blinding crusader gets a +2 bonus on the attack roll.
Treat this as a 1st-level evocation spell with the light descriptor. Spell resistance applies.
Judgment Strike (Sp) As a standard action, as a spell-like ability, a blinding crusader can make a melee or ranged attack with its weapon against a target it has used smite evil against. This attack deals normal damage plus 1d8 additional damage and causes the weapon to count as good, lawful, silver and magic for this attack, but ends the effect of smite evil immediately after the attack.
Treat this as a 1st-level evocation spell with the good descriptor. Spell resistance does not apply.
Lay On Hands (Su) Five times per day, a blinding crusader can heal 3d6 hit points (its own or those of others) by touch. Using this ability is a standard action, unless the blinding crusader targets itself, in which case it is a swift action. Despite the name of this ability, a blinding crusader only needs one free hand to use this ability.
Alternatively, a blinding crusader can use this healing power to deal 3d6 damage to undead creatures. Using lay on hands in this way requires a successful melee touch attack and doesn’t provoke an attack of opportunity. Undead do not receive a saving throw against this damage.
Unlike most paladins, a blinding crusader has no mercies, and its lay on hands ability does not remove negative conditions.
Lesser Smite Evil (Su) Three times per day, a blinding crusader can call out to the powers of good to aid her in her struggle against evil. As a swift action, the blinding crusader chooses one target within sight to smite. If this target is evil, the paladin adds half its Cha bonus (typically +1) to its attack rolls, and adds half its paladin level (typically +3) to all damage rolls made against the target of its smite. If the target of smite evil is an outsider with the evil subtype, an evil-aligned dragon, or an undead creature, the bonus to damage on the first successful attack increases to 1 point of damage per paladin level. Regardless of the target, lesser smite evil attacks automatically bypass any DR the creature might possess.
In addition, while lesser smite evil is in effect, the blinding crusader gains a deflection bonus equal to half its Cha bonus (if any) to its AC against attacks made by the target of the smite. If the blinding crusader targets a creature that is not evil, the smite is wasted with no effect.
The lesser smite evil effect remains until the target of the smite is dead or the next time the blinding crusader rests and regains its uses of this ability.