Monsters (Templates)
DnD SRD (Index) :: Monsters (Table Of Contents | List Of Tables) :: Monsters (Templates)
Sections:
.Celestial creatures
.Fiendish creatures
.Ghost
...Ghostly equipment
.Half-celestial
.Half-Dragon
.Half-fiend
.Lich
...The lich's phylactery
.Lycanthrope
...Common lycanthropes
...Lycanthropy as an affliction
...Curing lycanthropy
..Werebear
..Wereboar
..Wererat
..Weretiger
..Werewolf
.Vampire
...Vampire weaknesses
...Slaying a vampire
...Vampire characters
Tables:
.Celestial Creatures
.Fiendish Creatures
.Half-Celestial
.Half Dragon - Bite and Claw Damage
.Half Dragon - Breath Weapon
.Half Dragon - Immunities
.Half Feind - Bite and Claw Damage
.Half Feind - Abilities
.Common Lycanthropes
.Common Lycanthropes - Checks
.Lycanthropes - I
.Lycanthropes - II
.Vampire - Damage
Monsters (Templates)
This material is Open Game Content, and is licensed for public use under the terms of the Open Game License v1.0a.

Celestial creatures

"Celestial" is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature of nonevil alignment (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). Beasts or animals with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the creature type is unchanged.
A celestial creature uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Fiendish creatures

"Fiendish" is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature of nongood alignment (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). Beasts or animals with this template become magical beasts, but otherwise the creature type is unchanged. A fiendish creature uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Ghost

"Ghost" is a template that can be added to any aberration, animal, beast, dragon, giant, humanoid, magical beast, monstrous humanoid, or shapechanger. The creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature") must have a Charisma score of at least 8. The creature's type changes to "undead." It otherwise uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Ghostly equipment

When a ghost forms, all its equipment and carried items usually become ethereal along with it. In addition, the ghost retains 2d4 items that it particularly valued in life (provided they are not in another creature's possession). The equipment works normally on the Ethereal Plane but passes harmlessly through material objects or creatures. A weapon of +1 or better enchantment, however, can harm material creatures when the ghost manifests, and enchanted weapons can harm the ghost.
The original material items remain behind, just as the ghost's physical remains do. If another creature seizes the original, the ethereal copy fades away. This invariably angers the ghost, who stops at nothing to return the item to its original resting place.

Half-celestial

"Half-celestial" is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature with an Intelligence score of 4 or more and nonevil alignment (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). The creature's type changes to "outsider." It uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Half-Celestial
Level Abilities
1-2 Protection from evil, 3/day, bless
3-4 Aid, detect evil
5-6 Cure serious wounds, neutralize poison
7-8 Holy smite, remove disease
9-10 Dispel evil
11-12 Holy word
13-14 Holy aura 3/day, hallow
15-16 Symbol
17-18 Summon monster IX (celestials only)
19+ Resurrection

Half-Dragon

"Half-dragon" is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). The creature's type becomes "dragon." It uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Half-fiend

"Half-fiend" is a template that can be added to any corporeal creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). The creature's type changes to "outsider." It uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
Speed: There is a 50% chance that a half-fiend has bat wings. The creature can fly at the base creature's normal speed (average maneuverability).
AC: Natural armor improves by +1.
Attacks: A half-fiend gains bite and claw attacks in addition to the base creature's attacks., if it did not have them already.
Damage: If the base creature does not have bite and claw attacks, use the damage values in the table below. Otherwise, use the values below or the base creature's damage, whichever is greater.
Half Feind - Bite and Claw Damage
Size Bite Damage Claw Damage
Fine 1 -
Diminutive 1d2 1
Tiny 1d3 1d2
Small 1d4 1d3
Medium-size 1d6 1d4
Large 1d8 1d6
Huge 2d6 2d8
Gargantuan 2d8 2d6
Colossal 4d6 2d8

Lich

"Lich" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "character"), provided it can create the required phylactery (see The Lich's Phylactery, below). The creature's type changes to "undead." It uses all the character's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

The lich's phylactery

An integral part of becoming a lich is creating a magic phylactery in which to store its life force. Unless the phylactery is located and destroyed, the lich reappears 1d10 days after its apparent death.
Each lich must make its own phylactery, which requires the Craft Wondrous Item feat. The character must be a sorcerer, wizard, or cleric of at least 11th level. The phylactery costs 120,000 gp and 4,800 XP to create and has a caster level equal to that of its creator at the time of creation.

Lycanthrope

"Lycanthrope" is a template that can be added to any humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "character"). The creature's type changes to "shapechanger." The lycanthrope takes on the characteristics of some type of carnivorous animal (referred to hereafter as the "animal"). This can be any predator between the size of a small dog and a large bear. The most common are listed in the table below. Some kinds of lycanthropes can also adopt a hybrid shape that combines features of the character and the animal.
A lycanthrope uses either the character's or the animal's statistics and special abilities in addition to those set out below.

Common lycanthropes

Common Lycanthropes
Name Animal Form Ability Score Adjustments Feats
Werebear Brown bear Str +16, Dex +2, Con +8 Blind-Fight, Multiattack, Power Attack
Wereboar Boar Str +4, Con +6 Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative
Wererat Dire rat Dex +6, Con +2 Multiattack (despite only one natural weapon), Weapon Finesse (bite), Weapon Finesse (any)
Weretiger Tiger Str +12, Dex +4, Con +6 Blind-Fight, Multiattack, Power Attack
Werewolf Wolf Str +2, Dex +4, Con +4 Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative,Weapon Finesse (bite) Control Shape (Wis)
Any character who has contracted lycanthropy and is aware of his or her condition can learn Control Shape as a class skill. This determines whether the afflicted lycanthrope can voluntarily control his or her shape. Natural lycanthropes instead have the Improved Control Shape feat, which gives them full control over their shapeshifting abilities.
Check: The afflicted character must make a check at moonrise each night of the full moon to resist involuntarily assuming animal form. An injured character must also check for an involuntary change after accumulating enough damage to reduce his or her hit points by one-quarter and again after each additional one-quarter lost (save DC same as for full moon).
Common Lycanthropes - Checks
Task DC
Resist involuntary change 25
Return to humanoid form (full moon*) 25
Return to humanoid form (not full moon) 20
Voluntary change (full moon) 10
Voluntary change (not full moon) 15
*For game purposes, the full moon lasts three days every month.
Retry: Check for an involuntary change once each time a triggering event occurs.
On a failed check to return to humanoid form (see below), the character must remain in animal or hybrid form until the next dawn, when he or she automatically returns to humanoid form.
Special: An involuntary change to animal or hybrid form ruins the character's armor and clothing if the new form is larger than the character's natural form. Characters can hastily doff clothing while changing, but not armor. Magic armor survives the change if it succeeds at a Fortitude save (DC 15).
When returning to normal form after an involuntary change, the character attempts a Wisdom check (DC 15) to realize what has happened. If the check succeeds, the character becomes aware of the affliction and can now voluntarily attempt to change to animal or hybrid form, using the appropriate DC. An attempt is a standard action and can be made each round. Any voluntary change to animal or hybrid form immediately and permanently changes the character's alignment to that of the appropriate lycanthrope.
An afflicted character who is aware of his or her condition can also try to return to humanoid from after assuming animal or hybrid form, using the appropriate DC. Only one attempt is allowed, however, as described above.

Lycanthropy as an affliction

When a character contracts lycanthropy through a lycanthrope's attack (see above), no symptoms appear until the first night of the next full moon. On that night, the afflicted character involuntarily assumes animal form and becomes a ravening beast, forgetting his or her own identity. The character remains in animal form, assuming the appropriate alignment, until dawn and remembers nothing about the incident.
Thereafter, the character is subject to involuntary transformation under the full moon and whenever damaged in combat. He or she feels an overwhelming rage building up and must succeed at a Control Shape check to resist changing into animal form (see the sidebar).
Many lycanthropes are born, not made, and are sometimes called "natural lycanthropes" to distinguish them from those who have contracted lycanthropy ("afflicted lycanthropes").

Curing lycanthropy

An afflicted character who eats a sprig of belladonna (also called wolfsbane) within an hour of a lycanthrope's attack can attempt a Fortitude save (DC 20) to shake off the affliction. If a healer administers the herb, use the character's save or the healer's Heal check, whichever is higher. The character gets only one chance, no matter how much belladonna is consumed. The belladonna must be reasonably fresh (picked within the last week).
However, fresh or not, belladonna is toxic. The character must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 13) or take initial damage of 1d6 points of temporary Strength. One minute later, the character must succeed at a second save or take an additional 2d6 points of temporary Strength damage.
A remove disease or heal spell cast by a cleric of at least 12th level also cures the affliction, provided the character receives the spell within three days of the lycanthrope's attack.
The only other way to remove the affliction is to cast remove curse or break enchantment on the character during one of the three days of the full moon. After receiving the spell, the character must succeed at a Will save (DC 20) to break the curse (the caster knows if the spell works). Otherwise the process must be repeated. Characters undergoing this cure are often kept bound or confined in cages until the cure takes effect.
Only afflicted lycanthropes can be cured of lycanthropy.
Lycanthropes - I
Werebear Wereboar Wererat
Type Medium-Size/Large Shapechanger Medium-Size Shapechanger Medium-Size/Small Shapechanger
Hit Dice 6d8+24 (51 hp) 3d8+9 (22 hp) 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Initiative +0; +1 (Dex) as bear +0; +4 (Improved Initiative) as boar +0; +3 (Dex) as rat
Speed 30 ft.; 30 ft. as bear 30 ft.; 40 ft. as boar 30 ft.; 40 ft., climb 20 ft. as rat
AC 12 (+2 natural); 17 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +7 natural) as bear 12 (+2 natural); 18 (+8 natural) as boar 12 (+2 natural); 16 (+3 Dex,+3 natural) as hybrid; 17 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural) as rat
Attacks Unarmed strike +0 melee; 2 claws +11melee, bite +9 melee as bear Unarmed strike +0 melee; gore +4 melee as boar Unarmed strike +0 melee; rapier +3 melee, bite +1 melee as hybrid; bite +4 melee as rat
Damage Unarmed strike 1d3 subdual; claw 1d8+8, bite 2d8+4 Unarmed strike 1d3 subdual; gore 1d8+3 Unarmed strike 1d3 subdual; rapier 1d6; bite 1d4
Face/Reach 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft; 5 ft. by 5 ft./10 ft as bear 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft; 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft as boar 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft.; 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. as rat or hybrid
Special Attacks Improved grab, curse of lycanthropy as bear Ferocity, curse of lycanthropy as boar Curse of lycanthropy as rat or hybrid
Special Qualities Bear empathy; plus scent, damage reduction 15/silver as bear Boar empathy; plus scent, damage reduction 15/silver as boar Rat empathy; plus scent, damage reduction 15/silver as rat or hybrid
Saves Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +4 Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +3 Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +4
Abilities Str 27, Dex 13, Con 19, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 as bear1 Str 15, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 (as boar1) Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 as rat or hybrid1
Skills Listen +11, Search +8, Spot +14, Swim +14 as bear2 Listen +15, Search +8, Spot +12 as boar2 Climb +14, Hide +11 as rat or +7 as hybrid, Listen +8. Move Silently +6, Search +8, Spot +8 as rat or hybrid2
Feats Blind-Fight, Multiattack, Power Attack as bear3 Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative as boar3 Multiattack, Weapon Finesse (bite), Weapon Finesse (rapier) as hybrid3
Climate/ Terrain Any forest, hill, mountains, and underground Temperate and warm forest Any land and underground
Organization Solitary, pair, family (2-4), or troupe (2-4 plus 1-4 brown bears) Solitary, pair, brood (2-4), or troupe (2-4 plus 1-4 boars) Solitary, pair, pack (6-10), or troupe (2-5 plus 5-8 dire rats)
Challenge Rating 5 3 2
Treasure Standard Standard Standard
Alignment Always lawful good Always neutral Always lawful evil
Advancement By character class By character class By character class

Werebear

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the werebear must hit with a claw attack.

Wereboar

Ferocity (Ex): A wereboar is such a tenacious combatant that it continues to fight without penalty even while disabled or dying.

Wererat

Alternate Form (Su): A wererat can assume a bipedal hybrid form or the form of a dire rat. The bipedal form is Medium-size with head, torso, and tail identical to those of a rat, although the limbs remain human. The rat form is 2 feet long from nose to rump and is preferred for travel and spying on potential victims.
Skills: A wererat in rat or hybrid form uses its Dexterity modifier for Climb checks.
Lycanthropes - II
Weretiger Werewolf
Type Medium-Size/Large Shapechanger Medium-Size Shapechanger
Hit Dice 6d8+18 (45 hp) 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative +0; +2 (Dex) as tiger or hybrid +0; +6 (+2 Dex, +4 Improved Initiative) as wolf or hybrid
Speed 30 ft.; 40 ft. as tiger or hybrid 30 ft.; 50 ft. as wolf or hybrid
AC 12 (+2 natural); 17 (+2 Dex, +5 natural) as hybrid; 16 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +5 natural) as tiger 12 (+2 natural); 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural) as wolf or hybrid
Attacks Unarmed strike +0 melee; 2 claws +10 melee, bite melee as hybrid; 2 claws +9 melee, bite +7 melee as tiger +8 Unarmed strike +0 melee; bite +3 melee as wolf or hybrid
Damage Unarmed strike 1d3 subdual; claw 1d8+6; bite 2d6+3 Unarmed strike 1d3 subdual; bite 1d6+1
Face/Reach 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft; 5 ft. by 10 ft./5 ft. as tiger or hybrid 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft; 5 ft. by 5 ft./5 ft. as wolf or hybrid
Special Attacks Pounce, improved grab, rake 1d8+3, curse of lycanthropy as tiger or hybrid Trip, curse of lycanthropy as wolf or hybrid
Special Qualities Tiger empathy; plus scent, damage reduction 15/silver as tiger or hybrid Wolf empathy; plus scent, damage reduction 15/silver as wolf or hybrid
Saves Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +4 Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities Str 23, Dex 15, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 as tiger or hybrid1 Str 13, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10 as wolf or hybrid1
Skills Balance +6, Hide +9 as hybrid or +5 as tiger, Listen +10, Move Silently +9, Search +8, Spot +10, Swim +11 as tiger or hybrid2 Hide +3, Listen +14, Move Silently +4, Search +8, Spot +14, Wilderness Lore +0 as wolf or hybrid2
Feats Blind-Fight, Multiattack, Power Attack as tiger or hybrid3 Blind-Fight, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse (bite) as wolf or hybrid3
Climate/ Terrain Any forest, hill, mountains, and plains Any forest, hill, mountains, and plains
Organization Solitary or pair Solitary, pair, pack (6-10), or troupe (2-5 plus 5-8 wolves)
Challenge Rating 5 3
Treasure Standard Standard
Alignment Always neutral Always chaotic evil
Advancement By character class By character class
(1)In human form, these lycanthropes have the following ability scores: Str 11, Dex 11, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 10.
(2)In human form, these lycanthropes have the skill Craft or Profession (any one) +6, Knowledge (any one) +4.
(3)In human form, these lycanthropes have the feat Skill Focus (any Craft or Profession) and Skill Focus (Knowledge).

Weretiger

Alternate Form (Su): A weretiger can assume a bipedal hybrid form or the form of a tiger. The bipedal form is about 7 feet tall, with a 3-foot tail, and covered by tiger-striped hide. The legs are more feline than human, and this form walks on its toes. The fingernails grow into claws. The head is a mixture of features: Ears, nose, muzzle, and teeth are tigerlike, but the eyes and overall shape are human. If the human form's hair is long, it is still present. The animal form is that of a fully grown tiger without any trace of human features.
Pounce (Ex): If a weretiger in hybrid or tiger form leaps upon a foe during the first round of combat, it can make a full attack even if it has already taken a move action.
Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the weretiger in hybrid or tiger form must hit with a claw or bite attack. If it gets a hold, it can rake.
Rake (Ex): A weretiger in hybrid or tiger form that gets a hold can make two rake attacks (+9 melee) with its hind legs for 1d8+3 damage each. If the weretiger pounces on an opponent, it can also rake.
Skills: In hybrid or tiger form, weretigers receive a +4 bonus to Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +8.

Werewolf

Alternate Form (Su): A werewolf can assume a bipedal hybrid form or the form of a wolf. The bipedal form is about 6 feet tall, with a short tail, and covered in fur. The legs are like those of a wolf, and the head combines humanoid and lupine features in degrees that vary from one werewolf to the next. The animal form is that of a fully grown wolf without any trace of human features.
Trip (Ex): A werewolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the werewolf.
Skills: A werewolf in hybrid or wolf form gains a +4 racial bonus to Wilderness Lore checks when tracking by scent.

Vampire

"Vampire" is a template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the "base creature"). The creature's type changes to "undead." It uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Vampire weaknesses

Vampires cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it. Similarly, they recoil from a mirror or a strongly presented, holy symbol. These things don't harm the vampire-they merely keep it at bay.
Vampires are also unable to cross running water, although they can be carried over it while resting in their coffins or aboard a ship. They are utterly unable to enter a home or other building unless invited in by someone with the authority to do so. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.

Slaying a vampire

Simply reducing a vampire's hit points to 0 or below incapacitates but doesn't destroy it. However, certain attacks can slay vampires.
Exposing any vampire to direct sunlight disorients it: It can take only partial actions and is destroyed utterly on the next round if it cannot escape. Similarly, immersing a vampire in running water robs it of one-third of its hit points each round until it is destroyed at the end of the third round.
Driving a wooden stake through a vampire's heart instantly slays the monster. However, it returns to life if the stake is removed, unless the body is destroyed. A popular tactic is to cut off the creature's head and fill its mouth with holy wafers (or their equivalent).

Vampire characters

Vampires are always chaotic evil, which causes characters of certain classes to lose their class abilities. In addition, certain classes suffer additional penalties.



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© Dan Roozemond, June 2004