Monster of Legend
A monster of legend is a unique representative of its race imbued with a degree of power far beyond that possessed by ordinary members of its kind. Though monsters of legends do arise spontaneous every few centuries they are more likely to be empowered by a deity or powerful cosmic entity to perform an appointed task. These puissant creatures are often set to guard artifacts or planar portals. Monsters of legend are fearsome opponents. They are faster, hardier, stronger, and possessed of a terrible cunning that far exceeds their normally encountered kin. All monsters of legend possess several unique abilities that set it apart from others of its kind, and even other monsters of legend.
CREATING A MONSTER OF LEGEND
“Monster of Legend” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal aberration, animal, fey, giant, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin (referred to hereafter as the base creature). This template is never spontaneously applies itself to creatures of Int 6 or higher.
A monster of legend uses all the base creature’s statistics and abilities except as noted here. If the monster of legends type changes (in the case of animals and vermin) recalculate the creature’s Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saves, and skill points based in its new type.
Size and Type: Animals or vermin with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the creature type is unchanged. Size is unchanged (but see Special Qualities, below).
Hit Dice: The base creature receives maximum hit points per hit die. Most monsters of legend are advanced to at least double the base creature’s hit dice.
Armor Class: The base creature’s natural armor class improves by its Constitution bonus.
Damage: The damage inflicted by the base creatures’ natural weapons increase by one die step.
Special Attacks: A monster of legend possesses one special attack from the list below, or one of the designers devising of equivalent power. A monster of legend gains 1 additional special attack OR special quality (see below) for every 10HD possesses (minimum 1).
Breath Weapon (Su): Every 1d6 rounds the monster of legend can breath may breath a line or cone of acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic energy that does 1d8 points of damage per 2HD of the monster of legend (Reflex save for half). The shape and type of energy damage the breath weapon deals must be chosen when the monster of legend is initially create and may not be changed later. The size of the line or cone is equal to what a dragon of equal size would produce.
Disease (Ex): All of the monster of legend’s natural attacks risk infecting any creature it strikes with disease of the monster of legends’ choosing (determined when the monster of legend is initially created). The save DC to resist infection is Constitution-based.
Energy Drain (Su): One of the monster of legend’s natural attacks (claws, talons, slam, bite, sting, ect.) inflicts 1 negative level for every 10HD the monster of legend possesses (minimum 1). The save DC to remove these negative levels in Constitution-based.
Poison (Ex): One of the monster of legends’ natural attacks (claws, talons, slam, bite, sting, ect.) inflicts a deadly poison. This poison inflicts 1d6 points of initial and secondary ability damage to the attribute of the monster of legends choice (determined when the monster of legend is initially created). The save DC to resist the poison is Constitution-based.
If this ability is selected a second time the ability damage inflicted by the poison becomes ability drain.
This ability can also be selected multiple times to increase the potency of the venom. Each time you select it the initial and secondary damage dice increase by 1 step and the DC to resist the poison increase by +1 (treat as a racial bonus).
Spellcasting (Ex): The monster of legend has the spells per day of a cleric, druid, sorcerer, or wizard equal to half its hit dice and an effective caster level equal to three-quarters of its hit dice.
Spell-like Abilities (Sp): The monster of legend gains its Hit Dice plus its Charisma modifier worth of spell levels it may use to improve existing spell-like abilities or purchase new ones. Spells of levels 0—4 may be used at will, spells of levels 5—7 may be used three times per day, and 8th and 9th level spells may only be used once a day. A monster of legend may not augment a spell or gain a spell-like ability that a sorcerer of equivalent level could not cast.
The monster of legend may increase the number of times per day it can use an existing spell-like ability by buying the ability a second time at the same cost in spell levels. Thus chain lightning bought initially for six spell levels and usable 3/day ability could be used at will by spending a total of twelve spell levels. Similarly, moment of prescience initially bought for eight spell levels and usable 1/day ability could be used 3/day by spending a total of sixteen spell levels. A monster of legend may not improve the number of uses for anyone spell-like ability it possesses more than once.
Virtual Class Features (Ex): A monster of legend can select two class features from any class, except for spellcasting ability. The monster of legend may use the selected class features as if were a member of that class whose level equals its hit dice. The monster of legend may also select feats that require levels in the class whose features it mimics. The abilities selected must be from same class.
Special Qualities: A monster of legend creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following qualities.
—Lowlight vision.
—Spell resistance equal to its Challenge Rating +14.
—A monster of legend is immune to aging, death effects, disintegration, polymorphing, petrifaction, or any other attack that alters its form. Any shape-altering powers the monster of legend might have still work normally on itself.
—Resistance to two types of energy and damage reduction (see the table below).
The monster of legend may select any material from the following list: adamantine, cold iron, silver, steel, or wood. Alternately the monster of legend may select any alignment component that opposes its own. If the base creature already has one or more of these special qualities, use the better value.
In addition to special qualities listed above a monster of legend possesses one special quality from the list below, or one of the designers devising of equivalent power. A monster of legend gains 1 additional special attack OR special quality for every 10HD it possesses (minimum 1).
Command Kind (Su): The monster of legend can rebuke, bolster, and command creatures of the same type (and subtype, if the monster of legend possesses one) as an evil cleric of equivalent level rebukes undead. The monster of legend can use this ability a number of times per day to 3 + its Charisma bonus.
Energy Aura (Ex): The monster of legend possesses an aura of acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage that inflicts 1d10 points of damage for every 10HD or fraction thereof it possesses. The aura has a radius equal to the monster of legend’s reach and there is no save to reduce the damage taken. A monster of legend is automatically immune to the same type of damage its energy aura deals.
Fast Healing (Ex): The monster of legend gains a fast healing score equal to one-half its hit dice, rounded to closed multiple of 5.
Spirit Beast (Su): The monster of legend lives on the Ethereal plane much like a ghost, although it is not undead. The monster of legend gains the incorporeal subtype, spirit subtype, and the manifestation ability of a ghost. A monster of legend that possesses this special quality treats its natural weapons as if they possessed the ghost-touch property.
Immunities (Ex): The monster of legend may select one immunity from the following list: ability damage & drain, acid, cold, electricity, fire, or mind-altering effects. Alternately it may select three effects from the following list or disease, charms, compulsions, paralysis, poison, sleep, or stunning.
Preternatural Grace (Su): The monster of legend gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to its Charisma bonus and adds one-half its Charisma bonus as a resistance bonus to all its saves.
Regeneration (Ex): The monster of legend gains a regeneration score equal to one-quarter its hit dice, rounded to the closest multiple of 5. The monster of legend’s regeneration must be penetrable by 2 somewhat common sources, one physical and one magical.
Summon Kind (Sp): The monster of legend can summon others of its kind. The monster of legend can summon 1d4+1 creatures of the same type base creature. The monster of legend can use this ability once per day per 10HD or fraction thereof it possesses. The summon creatures obey the monster of legends commands unerringly for one hour and then return whence they came. If the monster of legend that has reached at least double normal HD advancement the creatures it summons possess 1.5 the normal HD, and if the monster of legend has reached maximum advancement the creatures it summons possess double the normal HD.
Saves: The monster of legend always uses the Good column when determining its base save bonuses.
Abilities: Strength +8, Dex +4, Constitution +8, Intelligence +4, Wisdom +4, Charisma +6. A base creature with an Intelligence or Charisma score of 3 or lower rolls 3d6 and then adds the appropriate modifier to determine its new base score. As unique individuals it is recommend the GM use the elite ability score array when designing a monster of legend.
Feats: A monster of legend may select any two feats it meets the prerequisites for as bonus feats.
Environment: Any.
Challenge Rating: 10HD or less as base creature +3; 11-20HD +4, 30HD or more +5.
Alignment: Any.
A monster of legend is a unique representative of its race imbued with a degree of power far beyond that possessed by ordinary members of its kind. Though monsters of legends do arise spontaneous every few centuries they are more likely to be empowered by a deity or powerful cosmic entity to perform an appointed task. These puissant creatures are often set to guard artifacts or planar portals. Monsters of legend are fearsome opponents. They are faster, hardier, stronger, and possessed of a terrible cunning that far exceeds their normally encountered kin. All monsters of legend possess several unique abilities that set it apart from others of its kind, and even other monsters of legend.
CREATING A MONSTER OF LEGEND
“Monster of Legend” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal aberration, animal, fey, giant, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or vermin (referred to hereafter as the base creature). This template is never spontaneously applies itself to creatures of Int 6 or higher.
A monster of legend uses all the base creature’s statistics and abilities except as noted here. If the monster of legends type changes (in the case of animals and vermin) recalculate the creature’s Hit Dice, base attack bonus, saves, and skill points based in its new type.
Size and Type: Animals or vermin with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the creature type is unchanged. Size is unchanged (but see Special Qualities, below).
Hit Dice: The base creature receives maximum hit points per hit die. Most monsters of legend are advanced to at least double the base creature’s hit dice.
Armor Class: The base creature’s natural armor class improves by its Constitution bonus.
Damage: The damage inflicted by the base creatures’ natural weapons increase by one die step.
Special Attacks: A monster of legend possesses one special attack from the list below, or one of the designers devising of equivalent power. A monster of legend gains 1 additional special attack OR special quality (see below) for every 10HD possesses (minimum 1).
Breath Weapon (Su): Every 1d6 rounds the monster of legend can breath may breath a line or cone of acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic energy that does 1d8 points of damage per 2HD of the monster of legend (Reflex save for half). The shape and type of energy damage the breath weapon deals must be chosen when the monster of legend is initially create and may not be changed later. The size of the line or cone is equal to what a dragon of equal size would produce.
Disease (Ex): All of the monster of legend’s natural attacks risk infecting any creature it strikes with disease of the monster of legends’ choosing (determined when the monster of legend is initially created). The save DC to resist infection is Constitution-based.
Energy Drain (Su): One of the monster of legend’s natural attacks (claws, talons, slam, bite, sting, ect.) inflicts 1 negative level for every 10HD the monster of legend possesses (minimum 1). The save DC to remove these negative levels in Constitution-based.
Poison (Ex): One of the monster of legends’ natural attacks (claws, talons, slam, bite, sting, ect.) inflicts a deadly poison. This poison inflicts 1d6 points of initial and secondary ability damage to the attribute of the monster of legends choice (determined when the monster of legend is initially created). The save DC to resist the poison is Constitution-based.
If this ability is selected a second time the ability damage inflicted by the poison becomes ability drain.
This ability can also be selected multiple times to increase the potency of the venom. Each time you select it the initial and secondary damage dice increase by 1 step and the DC to resist the poison increase by +1 (treat as a racial bonus).
Spellcasting (Ex): The monster of legend has the spells per day of a cleric, druid, sorcerer, or wizard equal to half its hit dice and an effective caster level equal to three-quarters of its hit dice.
Spell-like Abilities (Sp): The monster of legend gains its Hit Dice plus its Charisma modifier worth of spell levels it may use to improve existing spell-like abilities or purchase new ones. Spells of levels 0—4 may be used at will, spells of levels 5—7 may be used three times per day, and 8th and 9th level spells may only be used once a day. A monster of legend may not augment a spell or gain a spell-like ability that a sorcerer of equivalent level could not cast.
The monster of legend may increase the number of times per day it can use an existing spell-like ability by buying the ability a second time at the same cost in spell levels. Thus chain lightning bought initially for six spell levels and usable 3/day ability could be used at will by spending a total of twelve spell levels. Similarly, moment of prescience initially bought for eight spell levels and usable 1/day ability could be used 3/day by spending a total of sixteen spell levels. A monster of legend may not improve the number of uses for anyone spell-like ability it possesses more than once.
Virtual Class Features (Ex): A monster of legend can select two class features from any class, except for spellcasting ability. The monster of legend may use the selected class features as if were a member of that class whose level equals its hit dice. The monster of legend may also select feats that require levels in the class whose features it mimics. The abilities selected must be from same class.
Special Qualities: A monster of legend creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following qualities.
—Lowlight vision.
—Spell resistance equal to its Challenge Rating +14.
—A monster of legend is immune to aging, death effects, disintegration, polymorphing, petrifaction, or any other attack that alters its form. Any shape-altering powers the monster of legend might have still work normally on itself.
—Resistance to two types of energy and damage reduction (see the table below).
- Code: Select all
HD... ER DR
01–04 5. 5/magic or material
05–08 5. 5/magic
09–12 10 10/magic
13-16 15 10/magic and material
17-24 20 15/magic and material
25-34 25 20/magic and material
35-44 30 25/epic and material
45-54 35 30/epic and material
55-64 40 35/epic and material
The monster of legend may select any material from the following list: adamantine, cold iron, silver, steel, or wood. Alternately the monster of legend may select any alignment component that opposes its own. If the base creature already has one or more of these special qualities, use the better value.
In addition to special qualities listed above a monster of legend possesses one special quality from the list below, or one of the designers devising of equivalent power. A monster of legend gains 1 additional special attack OR special quality for every 10HD it possesses (minimum 1).
Command Kind (Su): The monster of legend can rebuke, bolster, and command creatures of the same type (and subtype, if the monster of legend possesses one) as an evil cleric of equivalent level rebukes undead. The monster of legend can use this ability a number of times per day to 3 + its Charisma bonus.
Energy Aura (Ex): The monster of legend possesses an aura of acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic damage that inflicts 1d10 points of damage for every 10HD or fraction thereof it possesses. The aura has a radius equal to the monster of legend’s reach and there is no save to reduce the damage taken. A monster of legend is automatically immune to the same type of damage its energy aura deals.
Fast Healing (Ex): The monster of legend gains a fast healing score equal to one-half its hit dice, rounded to closed multiple of 5.
Spirit Beast (Su): The monster of legend lives on the Ethereal plane much like a ghost, although it is not undead. The monster of legend gains the incorporeal subtype, spirit subtype, and the manifestation ability of a ghost. A monster of legend that possesses this special quality treats its natural weapons as if they possessed the ghost-touch property.
Immunities (Ex): The monster of legend may select one immunity from the following list: ability damage & drain, acid, cold, electricity, fire, or mind-altering effects. Alternately it may select three effects from the following list or disease, charms, compulsions, paralysis, poison, sleep, or stunning.
Preternatural Grace (Su): The monster of legend gains a deflection bonus to AC equal to its Charisma bonus and adds one-half its Charisma bonus as a resistance bonus to all its saves.
Regeneration (Ex): The monster of legend gains a regeneration score equal to one-quarter its hit dice, rounded to the closest multiple of 5. The monster of legend’s regeneration must be penetrable by 2 somewhat common sources, one physical and one magical.
Summon Kind (Sp): The monster of legend can summon others of its kind. The monster of legend can summon 1d4+1 creatures of the same type base creature. The monster of legend can use this ability once per day per 10HD or fraction thereof it possesses. The summon creatures obey the monster of legends commands unerringly for one hour and then return whence they came. If the monster of legend that has reached at least double normal HD advancement the creatures it summons possess 1.5 the normal HD, and if the monster of legend has reached maximum advancement the creatures it summons possess double the normal HD.
Saves: The monster of legend always uses the Good column when determining its base save bonuses.
Abilities: Strength +8, Dex +4, Constitution +8, Intelligence +4, Wisdom +4, Charisma +6. A base creature with an Intelligence or Charisma score of 3 or lower rolls 3d6 and then adds the appropriate modifier to determine its new base score. As unique individuals it is recommend the GM use the elite ability score array when designing a monster of legend.
Feats: A monster of legend may select any two feats it meets the prerequisites for as bonus feats.
Environment: Any.
Challenge Rating: 10HD or less as base creature +3; 11-20HD +4, 30HD or more +5.
Alignment: Any.
