@Goldfish, I've been toying with this idea:

Mighty Feral Flame Drake

A total of CR 8.

Mighty gives it DR 2/-, +10 bonus hit points per Hit Die (minimum +50), +5 dodge bonus to AC, +5 bonus to initiative, all saving throws, damage, ability checks, and skill checks. It also gains a +30-foot bonus to its speed (to a maximum of double), +10 to all attack rolls and CMB, and +15 to CMD.

Feral of course makes it non-sentient so we can sell it without issue.

Being a Flame Drake gives it the following:


Relatively inexpensive for the kind of worth it brings to the table. It serves as a versatile mount and long-range siege weapon, and it's definitely a problem for anything that tries to get close. The only potential issue is mind control, but that could be covered by PfE items.

A Warlord's Saddle with PfE could do it. Expensive, but these are basically Aerial Heavy Cavalry.

Hey, idea, we can make another Knightly Order sworn personally to the Crown, with a preference toward Dragonseed sorcerers and maguses.
 
And here's my final addition to my plan. I'll be online for another half hour or so if ya'll come up with any others to add.

This creature uses a modified version of the Bladeleaf template to create what feels like a seriously tough living siege engine. It's big (Gargantuan) and not particularly speed, but it's extremely tough and packs a big punch in melee and at range. I might want to make some of these for ourselves.

Dire Greenbound Bladeleaf* Ankylosaurus (*Modified) CR 10
N Gargantuan Plant (augmented)
Init +1; Senses low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft., scent; Perception +14

DEFENSE
AC
42, touch 7, flat-footed 41 (+1 Dex, +35 natural, -4 size)
HP 275 (20d8+180)
Fort +25, Ref +17, Will +9
Defensive Abilities: Damage Reduction 10/Slashing & Magic & Cold Iron, Fast Healing 10, Plant Traits, Immune: Cold, Electricity, Fire

OFFENSE
Speed
40 ft.
Melee tail +31 (3d8+2d6+22 plus Stun) OR slam +30 (2d8+2d6+15)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft. (20 ft. with tail)
Special Attack Razorleaf Bombard

STATISTICS
Str
41, Dex 12, Con 29, Int 2, Wis 17, Cha 16
Base Atk +15
Feats Ability Focus (Razorleaf Burst), Ability Focus (Stun), Great Fortitude, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Overrun, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (tail)
Skills Spot +19, Racial Modifiers +16 Hide & Move Silently in forested areas

Plant Immunities (Ex): Immunity to all mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, morale effects, patterns, and phantasms). Immunity to paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep effects, and stunning.

Spell-like Abilities (Sp): 10th Caster Level: At-Will: Entangle (DC 14), Pass Without Trace, Speak with Plants, 1/Day: Wall of Thorns

Stun (Ex): The Razortail Ankylosaurus' tail can deliver a powerful, stunning blow. A creature struck by this attack must make a DC 37 Fortitude save or be Dazed for 1 round. If the strike is a critical hit and the target fails its save, it is instead Stunned for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Strength-based.

Sundering Armor (Su): A Razortail Ankylosaurus deals +2d6 slashing damage in addition to damage dealt on a successful hit in melee. Creatures that hit a Razortail Ankylosaurus with a melee attack must make the same Reflex save or suffer 1d6+9 (CON modifier) damage unless they are using a reach and/or cold iron weapon.

Razorleaf Bombard (Su): The Razortail Ankylosaurus can launch from its razorleaf-studded tail a churning bundle of leaves and magical power which travels up to 1,000 feet with unerring accuracy. Upon striking a target, the bundle explodes into a 40 ft. radius cloud of slashing leaves which inflicts 15d6 damage (damage-type is Slashing and counts as Magic, Cold Iron, Silver, and Adamantine for the purposes of overcoming Damage Reduction) to everything within the area (Reflex DC 31 halves damage). The Razortail Ankylosaurus can use this ability as often as once per minute, but no more than three times per hour.
Ah, Ankylosaurus. So wonderfully bullshit in every way. I can't wait to slap Mighty on you in addition to everything else.
A Warlord's Saddle with PfE could do it. Expensive, but these are basically Aerial Heavy Cavalry.

Hey, idea, we can make another Knightly Order sworn personally to the Crown, with a preference toward Dragonseed sorcerers and maguses.
I'd be down. I've been waiting for the chance to make a slightly more draconic knightly order, and it'd be great if Flame Drakes were the mount of choice.
 
Ah, Ankylosaurus. So wonderfully bullshit in every way. I can't wait to slap Mighty on you in addition to everything else.

I'd be down. I've been waiting for the chance to make a slightly more draconic knightly order, and it'd be great if Flame Drakes were the mount of choice.

We can order 100 of them next month and start our selection criteria for them. When Valaena gets back from Yi Ti we can see about getting her to codify awakening Maguses into our curriculum, they're perfect for the role.

Battle Sorcerers would get by fine, of course, and we'll induct a lot of them, but some people who can handle themselves up close is a good idea.
 
We can order 100 of them next month and start our selection criteria for them. When Valaena gets back from Yi Ti we can see about getting her to codify awakening Maguses into our curriculum, they're perfect for the role.

Battle Sorcerers would get by fine, of course, and we'll induct a lot of them, but some people who can handle themselves up close is a good idea.
Maguses, Battle Sorcerers, and Duskblades will all fit right in, though theoretically even a martial PC can operate a Mighty Feral Flame Drake perfectly fine if they've got enough ranks in Handle Animal.
 
@Goldfish, I've been toying with this idea:

Mighty Feral Flame Drake

A total of CR 8.

Mighty gives it DR 2/-, +10 bonus hit points per Hit Die (minimum +50), +5 dodge bonus to AC, +5 bonus to initiative, all saving throws, damage, ability checks, and skill checks. It also gains a +30-foot bonus to its speed (to a maximum of double), +10 to all attack rolls and CMB, and +15 to CMD.

Feral of course makes it non-sentient so we can sell it without issue.

Being a Flame Drake gives it the following:


Relatively inexpensive for the kind of worth it brings to the table. It serves as a versatile mount and long-range siege weapon, and it's definitely a problem for anything that tries to get close. The only potential issue is mind control, but that could be covered by PfE items.
Mighty is, of course, a mighty template, but it's not one I think we should be able to apply will-nilly. What's the point of going out of our way to find and raise Valyrian Dragons if we're just going to grow a far superior replacement that we can mass produce?

Take a look at the Dire template. I just stumbled across it while working on my latest addition to my plan. It's nothing fancy, just straight forward enhancement, like a more physically focused Advanced template. It would increase a Flame Drake's size from Large to Huge and double its HD from 6 to 12, which would increase its BAB, HP, skill points, feats, etc. It also comes with some really nice attribute bonuses.

EDIT: Dire Feral Flame Drake would be CR 5 and only cost 900 IM each. I think that's plenty good for a knightly order.
 
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Mighty is, of course, a mighty template, but it's not one I think we should be able to apply will-nilly. What's the point of going out of our way to find and raise Valyrian Dragons if we're just going to grow a far superior replacement that we can mass produce?

Take a look at the Dire template. I just stumbled across it while working on my latest addition to my plan. It's nothing fancy, just straight forward enhancement, like a more physically focused Advanced template. It would increase a Flame Drake's size from Large to Huge and double its HD from 6 to 12, which would increase its BAB, HP, skill points, feats, etc. It also comes with some really nice attribute bonuses.
I think it should be context, personally. If it's put on a Feral Flame Drake it's hardly the equal to a Valyrian Dragon, even a younger one like Valaena's. Valyrian Dragons are flat out better, the live longer, they have natural DR and SR, etc.

I'll defer to your expertise and explore other templates, but I disagree with this even coming close to being in any way superior to or replacing the Valyrian Dragons.
 
Inserted tally
Adhoc vote count started by Goldfish on Nov 5, 2019 at 10:32 PM, finished with 94 posts and 9 votes.

  • [X] Although the possibilities are nearly limitless, depending on the Githerzai's needs, we believe the following may be suitable for Rondar's first request:
    -[X] Razorspore Hippogriff (Fungal Bladeleaf Hippogriff) - CR 4 (600 IM each)
    --[X] A sturdy, agile flying mount that can shrug off many forms of attack, heal from almost any non-fatal wound, and simply ignores the Mind-Affecting powers so often employed by the Deep Ones, Razorspore Hippogriffs are capable melee combatants but are also able to engage enemies at fairly long range with their Bladeleaf Swarms and can even employ a poisonous spore breath weapon at close range.
    -[X] Razorleaf Hippogriff (Greenbound Bladeleaf Hippogriff) - CR 5 (900 IM each)
    --[X] Razorleaf Hippogriffs are much like the Razorspore Hippogriff, but they are even more resilient, slightly faster and stronger, and have access to a small handful of useful spell-like abilities.
    -[X] Razortail Ankylosaurus (Dire Greenbound Bladeleaf* Ankylosaurus) - CR 10 (4,800 IM each)
    --[X] Living behemoths, each massive Razortail Ankylosaurus is capable of absorbing and dealing a huge amount of punishment. Not only can they trample their foes into the ground and slash them to bloody ribbons with their razorleaf studded armor, they can also employ the unique magic focused into their bony tails to launch long-range attacks razorleaf attacks capable of shredding all but the most resilient of foes.
    -[X] We would be willing to trade our Forge services to offset the cost of our latest commissions.
 
So a man with a two handed axe hitting a eight year old girl with no particular superhuman resilience in a vital area (since that is what crit is) does, to quote Monty Python "a flesh wound." Situations like this are why I have to model HP as luck more than resilience or
I always just assumed that as a sorcerer/wizard/cleric/etc casts magic, there must be some piece of energy or esoteric aspect of the spheres that touches the flesh. As a Caster grows the strength of his mind and will, his body changes also, approximating the kind of resilience of body that a creature of earth, wind, or fire has as an outsider. I mean most characters get longer base lifespans as they approach 20 right?

In some fantasy this energy is called mana or prana, or whatever, but ultimately it doesn't matter. In any reality, including our own, nothing can happen without energy exchange, and expecting energy that warps reality not to warp your flesh seems silly.
 
@Goldfish, here's a reworked proposal to take out Mighty.

Advanced Dire Feral Flame Drake

Total CR is 6, so it's even cheaper than the previous version.

Dire's actually really nice in terms of ability score improvement. We could take out Advanced to make it cheaper even than this, but it's a good buff for relatively low cost.
 
[X] Goldfish

Isn't it kinda funny, that it's ordering creatures for other factions that makes us think about what the Fleshforges can do and make more of the same for ourselves later?
:V
 
[X] Goldfish

Isn't it kinda funny, that it's ordering creatures for other factions that makes us think about what the Fleshforges can do and make more of the same for ourselves later?
:V
We were just too used to:

1. Having a sharply more limited treasury constraining us
2. Being constrained by the limits of the Fungus Forge in terms of CR, and mainly focusing on churning out Advanced Druid Creature Lotus Leshys
 
[X] Goldfish

Isn't it kinda funny, that it's ordering creatures for other factions that makes us think about what the Fleshforges can do and make more of the same for ourselves later?
:V
It is, when its us I feel like we mainly focus on quantity due to how large the realm is.
What is the maximum CR the forge can go to anyways?
 
@Goldfish would a Great Caretaker with the right lagers SLA load out be worth adding to the Gogossos Defense Force?

I'm thinking replace some of the spells with stuff like Sirocco instead of Transmute Metal to Wood and Return to Nature instead of Reincarnate. And the Dwarven Hatred changed to Undead or Winter Hatred.

And maybe one for the Forge in Lys and the Feywild one as well. I mean the Tree of the Dawn age has a Zomok. The Forges should have something of around that level too.
 
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Something I've considered for the Neck but can't figure out how to justify in other regions/environments.

What did you have in mind?
It looked good for entangling and being a general nuisance as we'll as turning whatever monster into a plant. There was no other consideration really. It was just there to be put on a really annoying creature tbh.
Just as a note, Jungles are very close to swamps.

Riz'Neth, Saan, and Wyla will all appreciate backup with this template.
 
...how much forces we have on Toad Isle, again?
We havent been keeping it a secret, and with it being a font of MKs power, illithids are all but guaranteed to strike there.

Also, @Goldfish, shall we inform Gith that we have a way to cleanse Abberant corruption, via said Holy Waters?
They might just find it useful, I have little doubt that Illithids employ mind/body-warping weapons on Nirvana.
 
...how much forces we have on Toad Isle, again?
We havent been keeping it a secret, and with it being a font of MKs power, illithids are all but guaranteed to strike there.

Also, @Goldfish, shall we inform Gith that we have a way to cleanse Abberant corruption, via said Holy Waters?
They might just find it useful, I have little doubt that Illithids employ mind/body-warping weapons on Nirvana.
Should we build a fortress there? or have we already done that?
 
Invasion of Tyrosh Inc. Goddamn you guys went ham with the planning. There even a little slide show.

BTW I Never considered the shenanigans fairly basic spells can do in war footing. The Shrink item stuff is mind blowing. So broken.
 
"A proposal unlike any we have ever received," Silence stretches out uncomfortably as the Grnadmaster considers the matter. Finally he sighs. "I must admit part of me wishes to refuse out of hand, knowing that the gith like so many other slaves were born in places not unlike your flesh forges, but that would be an affromt against the Path of Reason. You do not make slaves only beasts that might be trained to simple tasks. Something that might serve as a long distance engine would be of use for a beginning. We are not the most skilled of engineers and not many choose to be archers."
We make far more than beasts, it's just that beasts are the only thing we sell, if you want anything intelligent you have to come to hire them yourself, as we only make them, we don't own them, they tend to work for us of course, but that's because they like us and want to work for us.

If they want intelligent Plant creatures, they will either have to cut a deal with the old gods, or they will have to hire them on an individual basis, if they want Flesh Forged creatures, then they will have to hire them on an individual basic.

Also are the Githzerai paying us in corpses, or are they paying in gold, we need to know so we know our CR limit.

If they aren't paying us in corpses, I think we should point out it's an option for the low CR beasts we can sell them.
You better should not expect Qyburn to leave it alive. He wants to do !!SCIENCE!! on it after all.
If he kill it he during his experiments, he will just have to reanimate it as an undead, so we can sacrifice it that way.
Not quickly, no.

Symbionts are locked away behind at least 3 RAs, 2 of which aren't even specified because we lack information IC to guess at specific kind of beings these are.

We probably can make somethjng very similar still, because Vaylrian!Bullshit.
We should probably begin to do more of the symbiont research, since we are now selling Flesh Forge creatures, getting more non-intelligent options sounds like it's needed.
Must. Fight. Urge. To. Design. Something.
Why as GM you are allowed to design things, unlike what we design your design just get locked behind research actions, or become things we can get from looting.
The base creature needs to be useful in its own right, able to inflict non-trivial damage so as to make its Animated Leaf Swarm useful, while also being able to take a decent hit. It also needs to be stupid, as the Githzerai don't want sentient servitors.
We don't want to make sentient servitors either, anything intelligent we make are a citizen of our empire, they have full rights to say no to our job offers, they have never done so as of yet, but if any of them decide they don't like their job, they have full rights to quit them.
 
I always just assumed that as a sorcerer/wizard/cleric/etc casts magic, there must be some piece of energy or esoteric aspect of the spheres that touches the flesh. As a Caster grows the strength of his mind and will, his body changes also, approximating the kind of resilience of body that a creature of earth, wind, or fire has as an outsider. I mean most characters get longer base lifespans as they approach 20 right?

In some fantasy this energy is called mana or prana, or whatever, but ultimately it doesn't matter. In any reality, including our own, nothing can happen without energy exchange, and expecting energy that warps reality not to warp your flesh seems silly.

The problem with that is that is assumes a second fluff magic system behind the mechanical one. Does the fighter lose HP in an anti-magic field because he has no more mana? If not could I design a spell that drains that? Those are the kinds of questions players legitimately ask if presented with mana, better to just call it luck, everyone knows what luck is so I don't need to build a whole bunch of houserules to explain it.

We make far more than beasts, it's just that beasts are the only thing we sell, if you want anything intelligent you have to come to hire them yourself, as we only make them, we don't own them, they tend to work for us of course, but that's because they like us and want to work for us.

If they want intelligent Plant creatures, they will either have to cut a deal with the old gods, or they will have to hire them on an individual basis, if they want Flesh Forged creatures, then they will have to hire them on an individual basic.

Also are the Githzerai paying us in corpses, or are they paying in gold, we need to know so we know our CR limit.

If they aren't paying us in corpses, I think we should point out it's an option for the low CR beasts we can sell them.

If he kill it he during his experiments, he will just have to reanimate it as an undead, so we can sacrifice it that way.

Gathering corpses from the sorts of enemies they fight is rather dangerous, setting up new procedures for that does not make sense for the first purchase, which will be small and experimental, though that might change later with larger orders.
 
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