Unicorn RampantClaw / Claw / Bite magazine & Tabletop Role-Playing Games

Dec 1st Cut-up Construct

Cut-ups are magically created automatons of varying power. Constructing one involves a decoupaged collage of scroll parchment and the employment of summoning magic, which pulls together the components for the Cut-up out of the ether. The tasks to be performed by the Cut-up must be written along the edge of the collage in a magical runic script. This is usually done in chalk so the collage may be reused.

The animating force for a Cut-up is a spirit from the Ethereal Plane. The process of creating the Cut-up assembles the component corporeal matter and breathes a temporary life into them, subjecting the ethereal spirit to the Cut-up’s creator, at least until their servitude is complete, as dictated by the tasks set forth in runes.

Combat

Since they are collections of multiple life forces all bent on competing their tasks and thus being set free, Cut-ups are strong-willed and tenacious in combat. They make any and all decisions based on this drive for freedom. They follow instructions explicitly and are incapable of any strategy or tactics outside this fundamental urge. For this reason, some may even attack their creators, if their creators are not careful to make their tasks clear.

Fatal Flaw

Cut-ups are destroyed if the collage used to summon them is destroyed, whether by fire, evisceration, or even a simple tear down the center of the parchment. Creators of Cut-ups must thus stow their collages with care, especially if they intend to reuse them.

Construction

The cost to create each Cut-up includes the cost of the scroll parchment used to breathe life into the collages and a bag of holding to provide the link the Ethereal Plane. Completing the Cut-up’s creation drains 50 XP from the creator. The bag of holding is not consumed in the creation, and once the Cut-up returns to the Ethereal Plane, the bag is left on the ground.

The resulting Cut-up can be up to 1’x1’ per level of the spellcaster. For instance, Mialee, a 14th-level spellcaster, creates a collage, and summons the ethereal energy to manifest a Cut-up up to 14’x14’. This creature is included in the stat block below.

The physical characteristics of a Cut-up come from its design on parchment, so there is infinite variation in their final forms.

Mialee’s Cut-up
Size/Type: Large Construct
Hit Dice: 14d10+30 (105 hp)
Initiative: 0
Speed: 30 ft.
Armor Class: 23 (-1 size, 0 Dex, +14 natural)
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+19
Attack: Slam +14 melee (2d8+8 plus deep cut)
Full Attack: 2 slams +14 melee (2d8+8 plus deep cut)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Deep cut
Special Qualities: Construct traits, fatal flaw, flip sides, fold space, damage reduction 10/bludgeoning and piercing, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +2, Will +5
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 11, Con Ø, Int Ø, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: —
Feats: —
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or gang (2-4), up to ¼ the level of the caster
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 15-21 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

Cut-ups take the forms depicted on their collages.

A Cut-up cannot speak or make any vocal noise. It moves with a wide gait like the folding of paper. It appears weightless, yet is strangely corporeal.

Combat

Flip Sides (Ex): Every round a Cut-up is in combat, there is a 5% chance each round that it will determine that the easiest path to setting its ethereal energy free is to flip sides, turning on its creator. While fighting against its creator, there is a 5% chance that the Cut-up will return to its creator’s side.

Deep Cut (Ex): Since Cut-ups are made of pure ethereal energy, damage dealt by a Cut-up doesn’t heal naturally and resists healing spells. A character attempting to cast a healing spell on a creature damaged by a Cut-up must succeed on a DC 10+ the constructor’s caster level check, or the spell has no effect on the injured character.

Vulnerable to Blades (Ex): Cut-ups are especially susceptible to damage from slashing weapons, which deal double damage.

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A Cut-up is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

A blade barrier spell or other non-magical blade slows the Cut-up (as the slow spell) for 1d6 rounds and deals 2d6 points of damage.

Fold Space (Su): At will, Cut-ups can take shortcuts through the Prime Material Plane by folding themselves through the ether as per the spell ethereal jaunt.

CL 11th; Craft Construct, animate objects, resurrection, caster must be at least 11th level; Price 5,000gp in fine scroll parchment, a bag of holding; Cost 21,500gp, 1,540xp.

Aug 12th Tinleaf Trupacious

The end result of Faduardo Gantonin’s apprentice Yoranda Delane’s attempts to create an assistant and friend, sinch she had little emotional support from Faduardo or anyone. Locked away in the lab researching Faduardo’s various temporal magicks, she developed the Phase Guardian. Tinleaf Trupacious was meant to be the next step toward more human-like constructs.

It is neither living, nor dead, nor undead. It occupies that space at the intersection of the three. He performs actions as if alive, but cannot think beyond his rudimentary tasks, and does not eat or sleep. It does, however, require maintenance.

Tinleaf Trupacious (CR 4)
Medium Construct

Hit Dice: 7d10+20 (54 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (+10 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+11
Attack: Slam +8 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: 2 slams +8 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., find master, guard, low-light vision
Special Defense: Phasing
Spell Resistance: 50%; Immune to all spells when out-of-phase, susceptible when in phase.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +5
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

The tall, lanky figure seems to disappear completely every few seconds, reappearing a few seconds later. For a moment, you can make out the symbol of an hourglass, but only for a moment. Its body seems made of a metallic leafy fiber, which wraps around the carapace like scales or links of a chain.

Forever oscillating in and out of phase with the current time, Tinleaf Trupacious is a slave to time and its master. When one is fashioned, the phase guardian is keyed to a particular magical timepiece. Henceforth, it regards the wearer of that timepiece to be its master, protecting and following that individual everywhere (unless specifically commanded not to do so).

Tinleaf obeys its master’s verbal commands to the best of its ability, although it is not good for beyond simple manual labor and occasionally a simple conversation. It can also be keyed to perform specific tasks at specific times, down to six second accuracy, if it’s in phase when the alarm goes off. The wearer of the timepiece can call Tinleaf from any distance, and it will come as long as it is on the same plane.

Tinleaf is 6 feet tall and weighs a mere 100 pounds. It cannot speak, but it understands commands given in any language, though only in six-second increments, when it phases out of time. Its true master can phase with it, as can any mage with phase self.

Combat

Tinleaf was not designed for combat and is thus horrible at it.

Find Master (Su): As long as Tinleaf and its timepiece are on the same plane, it can find the timepiece wearer.

Guard (Ex): If ordered to do so, Tinleaf moves swiftly to defend the wearer of its timepiece, blocking blows and disrupting foes. All attacks against the timepiece wearer take a –2 penalty when Tinleaf is adjacent to its master.

Phase Other (Sp): Forever oscillating in time, Tinleaf must phase through time. If the Phasing is ever dispelled or otherwise disrupted, Tinleaf is trapped in whatever time it is disrupted in, and begins losing hit points at a rate of 1HD/rnd.

Construction

Tinleaf is built of tinleaf, a magical plant-metal alloy. The materials cost Yoranda Delane 15,000 gp. The timepiece also runs on two ounces of magesilver, kept within an hourglass that constantly resets itself every round, the amound of time it takes for the magesilver to flow from the top bulb of the hourglass to the bottom one.

Creating the body required a DC 16 Craft (blacksmithing) or Craft (carpentry) check. The keyed timepiece is fashioned at the same time, and its cost (20,000 gp) is on top of the cost of Tinleaf itself. After the body was sculpted, Tinleaf was animated through an extended magical ritual that required a specially prepared laboratory or workroom (she borrowed Faduardo’s). A similar lab, such as an alchemist’s laboratory would cost 500 gp to establish. If the creator is personally constructing the creature’s body, the building and the ritual can be performed together.

CL 9th; Craft Construct, limited wish, discern location, shield, phase other, caster must be at least 9th level; Price 40,000 gp; Cost 32,500 gp + 2,300 XP.

Timepiece

If Tinleaf’s timepiece is destroyed, it ceases to function until a new one is created. If the wearer dies but the timepiece is intact, Tinleaf carries out the last command it was given.

Nov 15th Creature: Stone Cats of the Goddess (CR 12 & 17)

STONE CATS OF AZHIRAZ GODDESS ON EARTH CR 12
neutral
Large construct
Init: +3

AC: 30 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +18 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 26
HP: 107 (HD 14d10+30)
Resist: DR 10 / Adamantine
Immune: Magic
Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +4

MV: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Attack: claw +18 melee (2d10+9)
Full Attack: 2 claws +18 melee (2d10+4), bite +13 Melee (2d12+9 +1d6 Elecricity)
Attack Options: Breath Weapon, Pounce
Space / Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Base Attack: +10 Grapple: +23

Abilities: Str 29, Dex 17, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
SQ: Construct traits, damage reduction 10/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision
SA: Breath Weapon, Pounce

GREATER STONE CATS OF AZHIRAZ GODDESS ON EARTH CR 17
neutral
Huge construct
Init: +2

AC: 31 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +21 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 27
HP: 271 (HD 42d10+40)
Resist: DR 10 / Adamantine
Immune: Magic
Fort +14, Ref +16, Will +14

MV: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Attack: claw +42 melee (4d8+6)
Full Attack: 2 claws +42 melee (4d8+6), bite +37 melee (4d10+13 +1d8 Electricity)
Attack Options: Breath Weapon, Pounce
Space / Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.
Base Attack: +31 Grapple: +52

Abilities: Str 37, Dex 15, Con -, Int -, Wis 11, Cha 1
SQ: Construct traits, damage reduction 10/adamantine, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to magic, low-light vision
SA: Breath Weapon, Pounce

This golem has the form of a great cat (tiger, lion or leopard) made completely out of stone. A stone cat is 9 feet long and weighs around 2,000 pounds. When argry they will often breathe sparks from their mouths.

COMBAT
Stone Cats are formidable opponents, combining the power and grace of junge cats with the supernatural toughness and powerful magical attacks of sorcerous constructs.

Pounce (Ex): If a Stone Cat charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.

Breath Weapon (Su): Stone cats can breathe a 20′ cone of electricity as a standard action, dealing 8d8 points of electricity damage (half damage with DC 23 Reflex save) in the case of normal Stone Cats and 12d8 with a DC 27 Reflex save in the case of Greater Stone Cats. After breathing sparks, a stone cat is unable to use it’s breath weapon again for 1d4 rounds.

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A stone cat is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.
A transmute rock to mud spell slows a stone cat (as the slow spell) for 2d6 rounds, with no saving throw, while transmute mud to rock heals all of its lost hit points.
A stone to flesh spell does not actually change the cat’s structure but negates its damage reduction and immunity to magic for 1 full round.

CONSTRUCTION
A stone cat’s body is chiseled from a single block of hard stone, such as granite, weighing at least 3,000 pounds. The stone must be of exceptional quality, and costs 5,000 gp. Assembling the body requires a DC 17 Craft (sculpting) check or a DC 17 Craft (stonemasonry) check.
CL 14th; Craft Construct, antimagic field, geas/quest, chain lightning, caster must be at least 14th level; Price 90,000 gp; Cost 50,000 gp + 3,400 XP.

GREATER STONE CAT
A greater stone cat is 18 feet long and weighs around 32,000 pounds. It resembles a typical stone cat in all respects, except that the Reflex save DC is 27 against its breath weapon. CL 14th; Craft Construct, antimagic field, geas/quest, chain lightning, caster must be at least 14th level; Price 196,000 gp; Cost 105,000 gp + 7,640 XP.

Oct 24th Creature: Fireflyers (CR 1-13)

Fireflyers are like will-o-the-wisps, except they take the form of glowing parchments that float in the night sky. The parchments represent the spells they cast when in danger, but do not disappear when the spell is cast. The most common cast burning hands, the uncommon ones fireball or flame strike, but the rare fireflyers cause earthquakes. There are tales of a wish fireflyer, but (oddly) nobody can corroborate this rumor. There are also tales of wizards trapping read magic or light fireflyers in their towers in order to take advantage of their spell-like abilities.

The effects are as scrolls of the spells cast at the lowest caster level possible.

Fireflyer
Size/Type: Tiny Construct (any terrain)
Hit Dice: variable (equal to the spell level)
Initiative: +1
Speed: fly 60 ft. (12 squares).
Armor Class: 26 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +10 natural), touch 23
Base Attack/Grapple: see text
Attack: see text
Full Attack: see text
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: spells
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +3+lvl, Ref +5+lvl, Will +6+lvl
Abilities: Str 3, Dex 18, Con 11, Int 18, Wis 15, Cha 11
Skills:
Feats: Combat Casting, Quicken Spell, Lightning Reflexes
Environment: any
Organization: Solitary (sheet), pamphlet (5-10), or book (30-40)
Challenge Rating: caster lvl
Treasure: none
Alignment: true neutral
Advancement: none
Level Adjustment: —

Combat

Fireflyers go about their business, but if backed into a corner, they unleash their spells.

Spells

Fireflyers cast the arcane magic written upon them at the lowest level required to cast the spell.

Aug 16th Creature: Phase Guardian (CR 8)

Phase Guardian (CR 8)
Large Construct

Hit Dice: 15d10+20 (102 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 26 (–1 size, +15 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 24
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+21
Attack: Slam +16 melee (1d8+6)
Full Attack: 2 slams +16 melee (1d8+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Construct traits, darkvision 60 ft., fast healing 5, find master, guard, low-light vision, shield other, spell storing
Special Defense: Phasing
Spell Resistance: 50%; Immune to all spells when out-of-phase, susceptible when in phase.
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +5, Will +5
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 1
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 16–24 HD (Large); 25–45 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

The tall, lanky figure seems to disappear completely every few seconds, reappearing a few seconds later. For a moment, you can make out the symbol of an hourglass, but only for a moment. (more desc here)

Forever oscillating in and out of phase with the current time, phase guardians are slaves to time. When one is fashioned, the phase guardian is keyed to a particular magical timepiece. Henceforth, it regards the wearer of that timepiece to be its master, protecting and following that individual everywhere (unless specifically commanded not to do so).

A phase guardian obeys its master’s verbal commands to the best of its ability, although it is not good for much beyond combat and possibly simple manual labor. It can also be keyed to perform specific tasks at specific times, down to six second accuracy, if it’s in phase when the alarm goes off. The wearer of the timepiece can call the phase guardian from any distance, and it will come as long as it is on the same plane.

A phase guardian is some 9 feet tall and weighs more than 1,000 pounds. Phase guardians cannot speak, but they understand commands given in any language, though only in six-second increments.

COMBAT

Phase guardians are straightforward in battle, bashing with their heavy stone fists. They are made for defense and are not particularly impressive on offense.

Find Master (Su): As long as a phase guardian and its timepiece are on the same plane, the phase guardian can find the timepiece wearer (or just the timepiece, if it is removed after the guardian is called).

Guard (Ex): If ordered to do so, a phase guardian moves swiftly to defend the wearer of its timepiece, blocking blows and disrupting foes. All attacks against the timepiece wearer take a –2 penalty when the phase guardian is adjacent to its master.

Phase Other (Sp): Forever oscillating in time, a phase guardian must phase through time. If the Phasing is ever dispelled or otherwise disrupted, the phase guardian is trapped in whatever time it is disrupted in, and begins losing hit points at a rate of 1HD/rnd.

Spell Storing (Sp): A phase guardian can store one spell of 4th level or lower that is cast into it by another creature. It “casts” this spell when commanded to do so or at a predetermined time. Once this spell is used, the phase guardian can store another spell (or the same spell again).

CONSTRUCTION

A phase guardian is built from wood, bronze, stone, steel. The materials cost 5,000 gp. The timepiece also runs on two ounces of magesilver, kept within an hourglass that constantly resets itself every round, the amound of time it takes for the magesilver to flow from the top bulb of the hourglass to the bottom one.

The creature’s master may assemble the body or hire someone else to do the job. Creating the body requires a DC 16 Craft (blacksmithing) or Craft (carpentry) check. The keyed timepiece is fashioned at the same time, and its cost (20,000 gp) is included in the cost of the guardian. After the body is sculpted, the phase guardian is animated through an extended magical ritual that requires a specially prepared laboratory or workroom, similar to an alchemist’s laboratory and costing 500 gp to establish. If the creator is personally constructing the creature’s body, the building and the ritual can be performed together. A phase guardian with more than 15 Hit Dice can be created, but each additional Hit Die adds +5,000 gp to the market price, and the price increases by +20,000 gp if the creature’s size increases to Huge, modifying the cost to create accordingly.

CL 15th; Craft Construct, limited wish, discern location, shield, phase other, caster must be at least 15th level; Price 120,000 gp; Cost 65,000 gp + 4,600 XP.

TIMEPIECE

If a phase guardian’s timepiece is destroyed, the guardian ceases to function until a new one is created. If the wearer dies but the timepiece is intact, the phase guardian carries out the last command it was given.

Aug 15th Creature: Brass Golem (CR 8)

These metal statues are carved in the form of muscular men and women – often appearing as athletes or heroes. Usually they are cast in brass but are also made of bronze or copper. They are animate guardians that are set in temples to detect and catch intruders. Priests form their bodies from metal and then summon a spirit from their deity’s home plane to animate their bodies. They are sometimes also known as wrestling golems, templar statues, wringen golems, wrestlen golem or guardian statues.

Brass Golem CR 8
good (often lawful) Medium Size Construct (Outsider)
Init: +4 Senses: darkvision 60 ft., see invisibility, detect evil

AC: 27 (+4 Dex, +13 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 23, damage reduction 5/adamantine and evil
HP: 76 HP (HD 9d10+27)
Immune: magic
Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +4

MV: 30 ft
Attack: slam +12 melee (1d4+6)
Full Attack: 2 slams +12 melee (1d4+6)
Atk Options: improved grab
Space / Reach: 5 ft / 5 ft
Base Attack: +6 Grp: +12

Abilities: Str 23 (+6), Dex 21 (+4), Con —, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 11
SQ: Construct traits, damage reduction 5/adamantine and evil, darkvision 60 ft., see invisibility, detect evil, immunity to magic.
SA: improved grab

The handsome goldish-colored statue suddenly swivels it’s head to lock it’s glowing blue eyes with yours. It bounds off the pedistal it was on, dropping it’s discus, and charges at you.

COMBAT

Upon detecting evil intruders guardian statues charge their opponents and tackle them using a slam and their improved grab ability. Once grappling their foes they will attempt to wrestle them to the ground and pin them there. Foes that struggle will be dealt subdual damage until they submit. They will hold a foe indefinitely or until a priest of the temple arrives to decide the fate of the interloper.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a guardian status must hit with its slam attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Immunity to Magic (Ex): Immune to all magic with the following exceptions. Spells with the fire descriptor do no damage but instead cause it to become hasted and to deal an additional 1 point of heat damage with it’s slam attacks for 1 round for every 10 points of fire damage dealt. In addition the golem will be healed by 1 point for every 3 points of damage that would have been dealt and returns 1 point of DR for every 10 points of fire damage. Spells with the cold descriptor deal no damage but instead cause it’s DR to be reduced by 1 for every 10 points of cold damage dealt. It’s DR cannot be reduced below 0 in this fashion. It’s DR returns at a rate of 1 point per round. Spells that dismiss or otherwise banish outsiders drive off the spirits within them, effectively slaying them.

Construction

A guardian statue is cast or carved from a metal such as bronze, copper or brass weighing 400 lbs and costing 200 gp. It must then be treated with special alchemical mixtures and oils worth 1000 gp.

Creating the body requires a successful DC 20 Craft (sculpting) check.

CL 9th; Craft Construct, dispel evil, true seeing, commune, raise dead, caster must be at least 9th level; Price 30,000 gp; Cost 15,000 gp + 1,200 XP.