The Shardik (Homebrew Monster) and a question ...

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Kaiser_Kris

The Shardik (Homebrew Monster) and a question ...

Post by Kaiser_Kris »

Shardik

HD: 6(d8)

Attack: 2 Claw (d8+1), Bite (d12+2)

AC: 18

Movement: 40

Type: Abomination

Int: Animal

Alignment: Neutral

Saves: Physical

Special:

Seeker Eyes: The Shardik does not see with its eyes, but with a set of four Seeker Eyes (1d4 HP, AC 18, move 60), which are capable of flight. Seeker Eyes are capable of travelling into areas too small for the Shardik, and can also easily spot invisible or hidden characters.

Invulnerability: The Shardik cannot be harmed by any attack until all four of its Seeker Eyes are destroyed. A successful casting of Dispel Magic can remove this invulnerability.

Charge: A Shardik can make a Charging attack much like a PC. It does not incur an AC penalty to this if any of its Seeker Eyes are still present.

Other abilities as Grizzly Bear.

Description: An unholy terror, wrought by foul magic and enhanced with metal, the Shardik was originally created from a bear, but has been given numerous enhancements to make it a fiercer and deadlier foe.

And now for the question ... I'm in the process of crafting some of the Big Bads for the campaign. For characters of 5th or 6th level, roughly what level of an evil NPC would make a good 'boss' with some decently strong henchmen? I'm thinking about level 8. [/i]

CharlieRock

Post by CharlieRock »

I'm thinking you are in the right range there.

Henchmen are only there to keep the boss alive "one more round"
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Kaiser_Kris

Post by Kaiser_Kris »

Okay, good. The individual I'm planning in particular is an anti-Paladin (Paladins in this campaign are something different altogether from the C&C main book), who is the right-hand man of the true Big Bad whom they won't be fighting until about 8th or 9th level.

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Traveller
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Post by Traveller »

Is someone a fan of Richard Adams' Shardik?
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Kaiser_Kris

Post by Kaiser_Kris »

You know, I haven't actually read the book in question. I really should sometime. I'd had the vague idea for a bear-monster in my head, and needed a name for it. Earlier in the campaign, Our Heroes have also fought a number of similarly groteque wolf-monsters.

I actually remembered 'Shardik' from the Dark Tower series.

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Post by Aneoth of Ironwood »

I agree with you that for 5th or 6th level PCs an 8th level NPC boss is about right, though as an anti-paladin he would be a very dangerous and powerful enemy.

He should use a nightmare as his mount. http://www.dandwiki.com/wiki/File:Anti- ... esized.jpg

It is a 3.5 related site, but the JPG is what I wanted to show there.

If he is joined by very many underlings, and those underlings are equal in number and at the same level as the PCs then it will likely prove to be too much.

A TPK would likely be the result, unless the players can and would run away if they find the fight too much to handle.

I like using Anti-Paladins as an NPC in my games and I have done so for years, long before 3.x Edition came about.

Kaiser_Kris

Post by Kaiser_Kris »

The underlings themselves would probably be a bit underneath the PCs own level (4th, say, instead of 6th) or 4HD monsters. That being said, they will have the chance to run, and that may be a very good idea ... I don't like making the heroes have to beat a retreat often, but every once in a blue moon, it's good to shake things up.

In general, though, I believe that TPK is something to be avoided. The *risk* of death is important in order to keep the game interesting, but killing off an entire party, which people have invested in, is a bummer. Sometimes of course, people do stupid things, or the dice just come off horribly bad ...

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