Saturday, May 21, 2016

Wharks (a revised monster type)

Wharks

A fierce warrior race standing nearly twice the height of a man with four arm, tusked maws, and savage ferocity. Wharks are cruel to the point they are almost alien to men but they are not without honor and depending on tribal affiliation can be reasoned with (now and again). Wharks are able to enter battle bearing multiple weapons at the same time vs one foe or against multiple foes.
If a whark is attacking multiple foes it suffers a penalty equal to the number of foes it is attacking (3 attacks vs 3 people would each be made at -3), multiple attacks against a single foe have no specific penalty.
Despite their great size wharks climb very well and are able to climb quickly and at least as well as a thief of equal level (or 90%).
Wharks may assume a centaur like stance lowering themselves to run on their legs and mid ward set of arms for greater speed. This stance also allows a shark to charge with a lance as if mounted.
Wharks are normally insanely brave but they are superstitious and skittish around black magic/necromancy.
Wharks can sense vibrations (both physical and psychic) so well they only suffer from surprise half as often as normal and are likewise only impeded when fighting invisible foes half as much as normal.
Their alien minds also offer them improved resistance to mental attacks (I uses MF WIL scores based mental combat, if you don’t give wharks +2 to save vs mental attacks).  Wharks are naturally immune to sleep, charm person and hold person spells.

An unarmored Whark is AC 8[11] due to their tough skins and nimbleness.

Stats for a common Whark Warrior
Whark HD 4 (or better); AC 8[11] or armor; Atk: up to 4 weapons; Move: 9 (climb 6, run 15); Save: 13; AL: ANY but tend to Chaotic; CL:5; ML:10; WIL: 15; Special: sense vibrations (only half penalty vs invisible foes).


Random Whark Warrior


HD
Armor
Move
Save
Morale
WIL
Attacks
1
4
8[11]
9(6-15)
13
10
15
4 blades @ 1d6
2
4
7[12], Shield
9(6-15)
13
10
15
3 blades @ 1d6
or Hvy Crossbow 1d8
3
4
7[12], Shield
9(6-15)
13
10
15
3 swords @ 1d8
or War Lance 1d10+1
4
4
6[13], Two Shields
9(6-15*)
13
10
15
2 swords @ 1d8
or War Lance 1d10+1
5
5
8[11]
9(6-15)
12
10
15
2 sword-axes @ 1d10
6
5
6[13], Lt Armor & Shield
9(6-15)
12
11
15
greatsword @ 1d12
and blade @ 1d6
7
5
5[13] Lt Armor & two Shields
9(6-15*)
12
10
15
2 swords @ 1d8
or Hvy Crossbow 1d8
8
5
5[14] Medium armor
6(3-12)
12
9
15
great sword @1d12
and 2 swords @1d8
9
6
7[12], shield
9(6-15)
11
10
16
2 blades @ 1d6
2 swords @ 1d8

10
6
5[14]light armor & two shields
9(6-15*)
11
11
16
Axe @ 1d8
Sword @ 1d8
or War Lance 1d10+1
* can’t run in centaur stance while using two shields.


Random Whark Champions and Chieftans

HD
Armor
Move
Save
Morale
Wil
Attacks
Fighting Techniques
2
6
8[11]
9(6-15)
11
10
16
4 swords @ 1d8+1
or Hvy Crossbow @ 1d8
1
3
6
6[13], Lt Armor & Shield
9(6-15)
11
11
16
3 swords @ 1d8+1
or War Lance 1d10+2
1
4
6
6[13], Two Shields
9(6-15*)
11
12
17
2 swords @ 1d8+2
or Warlance @1d10+3
1
5
7
8[11]
9(6-15)
10
10
16
2 swords @ 1d8+2
Axe @ 1d10+2
Flail @ 2d4+2
1
6
7
6[13], Two Shields
9(6-15*)
10
10
17
2 swords @ 1d8+3
or XHvy Crossbow 2d6
1
7
7
5[14]light armor & two shields
9(6-15*)
10
11
18
2 swords @ 1d8+3
or GreatLance 1d12+4
2
8
7
5[14]Medium Armor
6(3-12)
10
11
18
2 swords @ 1d8+3
Swordaxe @ 1d10+3
2
9
8
8[11]
9(6-15)
9
10
16
2 great swords @ 1d12+3
or or XHvy Crossbow 2d6
2
10
8
6[13], Two Shields
9(6-15*)
9
12
17
2 Axes @1d8+3
or  GreatLance 1d12+4
2
11
8
2[18], Two Shields & Hvy Armor
6
9
11
18
Flail @ 2d4+3
Sword @ 1d8+3
3
12
9
6[13], Two Shields
9(6-15*)
8
11
18
Great Sword @ 1d12+3 
or Xhvy crossbow 2d6
3
* can’t run in centaur stance while using two shields.

Whark Champions and Chieftans may employ special fighting techniques, some of these techniques will increase the weaponry or alter the AC as listed above.



1
Swordbar
A whark that knows how to use a sword bar and may use it to make a disarm attack instead of a standard attack instead of one of his normal one handed weapon attacks. If that disarm attack is made against a sword or similar blade that weapon must save or be broken. damage from strike is 1d6+1
2
Hook Chain
This long hooked chain may be used to against targets up to 20’ away. Damage 1d6. roll for special effect-  1-2) nothing special, 3) target tripped 4) target sword arm bound 5-6) target snared and will be wrapped up on next round
3
Star Flail
This wicked dagger tipped mace-headed flail can be used to knock apart shields (-2 to attack) or used to trip a foe.
4
Sword Thrower
The whark can throw any bladed weapon with no penalty at a tragetup to 50’ away
5
Stamp
This additional unarmed attack can be used to pin a man-sized or smaller foe to the ground  under one of the Whark’s feet.
6
Vault
When in centaur stance the Whark may leap up to half his movement rate, throw a weapon in hand at a target ahead of him and draw weapon to be ready on next round. The shark must have at least 60’ of space to make this attack.
7
Whirling Parry
If armed with 3 or more weapons or shields a whark with this technique can parry aside many a lesser blow improving its AC by 5 steps, while still begin able to make a strike with 1 single handed weapon.
8
Pounce and Rip
The whark drops all weapons in hand,  and leaps onto a target at -4 to hit. If successful the target suffers 2d6 damage and must make a save vs death or have 1d4 limbs ripped free from their body. This attack works on foes 8’ tall and smaller, those under  4’ totally avoid damage on a successful save. The Whark must be able to move at least 30’ to use this attack.



notes on Determining CL for Swords & Wizardry compatible games:
Increase CL by 1 for each HD over 4.
Increase CL by 1 if a shark knows a fighting technique.
increase CL by 2 if the shark knows 2 or 3 fighting techniques
if you use BX style morale increase CL by 1 if ML is 11 or 12.
if you use MF stye mental combat increase CL by 1 if WIL is 17 or 18.




Revised and expanded as monster type from http://aeonsnaugauries.blogspot.com/2013/12/whark.html



final note: A sensible follow-up to my last post which dealt with chopping off limbs in the heat of combat.

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