Welcome to Lucidmagic.net! You can join us using your OpenID.
Shifting cogs and shining spindles comprise the body of this creature, but as they revolve to grip the surrounding trees they becomeâ?¦ unnatural. They ripple like flesh, passing through each other like smoke. And in the middle of it all is a single glaring eye.When this living mechanism tried to calculate nature, its very reality shattered into contradicted insanity. Its retinue of evil fey is intoxicated by its loathing for instinct and life. The [Baker] draws attention by striking directly and openly, employing powerful defenses that protect it from most attacks. This frees its minions to harass opponents.--Slagger the Chuul
Wow. That is the dumbest creature description i ever read. Fortunatly the art is equally bad.....-Throbblefoot[snapback]30951[/snapback]
Based on the results of the "You Craft the Creature" feature on the D&D website.Shifting cogs and shining spindles comprise the body of this creature, but as they revolve to grip the surrounding trees they become . . . unnatural. They ripple like flesh, passing through each other like smoke. And in the middle of it all is a single glaring eye.Havoc Orb CR 16hp 204 (24 HD); DR 10/--LE Large aberrationInit +3; Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., geometric vision; Listen +29, Spot +29Aura wild magicLanguages Common, FeyAC 20, touch 19, flat-footed 27; Dodge, Mobility(â??1 size, +3 Dex, +11 natural, +7 Int)Resist acid 30, cold 30, electricity 30, fire 30, force 20, sonic 20, all other typed and untyped energy 20; 20% chance to have evasion and mettle against any other spell, spell-like, or supernatural effect; SR 30Fort +12, Ref +11, Will +16Speed 20 ft. (4 squares)Melee 2 claws +19 (1d8+2)Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.Base Atk +18; Grp +24Atk Options Combat Reflexes, Elusive TargetSpecial Actions eldritch blast 9d6 at will (+20 ranged touch, range 60 ft., can empower 3/day and maximize 3/day)Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th):At will -- suggestion (DC 20)3/day -- quickened greater dispel magic (dispel check +20), phantasmal killer (DC 21)1/day -- displacement, good hopeAbilities Str 15, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 25, Wis 14, Cha 22SQ blasphemous geometries, geometric vision, that won't work on me twice, wild magic auraFeats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Elusive Target, Empower Spell-Like Ability (eldritch blast), Leadership, Maximize Spell-Like Ability (eldritch blast), Mobility, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (greater dispel magic), Supernatural Transformation (eldritch blast)Skills Bluff +24, Concentration +29, Diplomacy +32, Disguise +6 (+8 acting), Intimidate +8, Knowledge (arcana) +31, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +19, Knowledge (nature) +19, Knowledge (the planes) +29, Listen +29, Sense Motive +29, Spellcraft +36, Spot +29, Survival +2 (+4 on other planes, underground, and in aboveground natural environments)Advancement 25â??48 (Large)Blasphemous Geometries (Ex) Being an outsider from another dimension, the havoc orb's form does not translate well on the Material Plane. It appears to be composed of obscene angles and planes, which makes it difficult for natives to perceive. As a result of its alien nature, the havoc orb's body reacts strangely and unpredictably to native objects traveling in normal vectors toward it. It gains a bonus to AC equal to its Intelligence modifier (if positive). Also, any targeted ranged attack is automatically redirected to a random creature within 100 feet of the creature (including the creature, and the originator of the attack if in range). Add up the number of foes within 100 feet of the creature, add the creature, then randomly select a target. Area effects are not redirected.Geometric Vision (Ex) Since the havoc orb is from another dimension, its lines of vision are not direct. It can see around corners and behind objects. Effectively, cover does not exist for purposes of hiding from the havoc orb or for granting an AC bonus to the creature's attacks.That Won't Work on Me Twice (Ex) Any time an effect or attack is used against the havoc orb, its internal chemistry changes to stop such an attack from hurting it again. This ability grants it resistance 30 to acid, cold, electricity, and fire, resistance 20 to sonic and force, and resistance 20 to all other typed and untyped energy damage. Further, the havoc orb has DR 10/-- because it has adjusted to make itself resistant to weapon and natural attacks. Lastly, there is a 20% chance that it has been targeted or affected by any other spell, spell-like, or supernatural effect. If so, the creature is treated as having evasion and mettle (Complete Divine p50) against that effect, whether the effect allows spell resistance or not. Additionally, during a current combat, it gains these benefits against any magical effect used against it.Wild Magic Aura (Su) The havoc orb is a natural conduit for wild magic. Anyone within 120 feet of the havoc orb must make a DC 25 caster level check when casting a spell or using a spell-like ability. Failure means the spell is affected as if it had been cast in a wild magic zone (see table on page 150 of the DMG). The havoc orb's spell-like abilities are not affected by this aura.The havoc orb is a living mechanism from a distant plane that leads retinues of evil fey creatures in a great effort to eliminate all chaos from the multiverse, including life. It resents even the chaos of its fey retinue, but it suffers them until all other chaos is eliminated because it plans to destroy them last of all.Strategies and TacticsThe havoc orb draws attention by striking directly and openly, and it employs powerful defenses that protect it from most attacks. This frees its minions to harass opponents. It begins with its good hope ability, and then makes a direct attack on the most potent enemy creature, usually with eldritch blast but sometimes with phantasmal killer. It uses its quickened greater dispel magic ability in the second and following rounds against enemies that are likely to have spells on them. Against fighter types it employs its Elusive Target feat every round to confound Power Attack, and it relies on its significant defenses to occupy foes while its minions attack the foes. After a few rounds using spell-like abilities, it begins using maximized and empowered eldritch blasts to weaken the enemy healers and spellcasters before confronting the fighter types.The minions, most of whom have rogue levels or abilities, flank and harass foes, gaining maximum damage and disrupting spellcasting attacks if they can. Due to the creature's Leadership score (25), it has at its disposal (and usually nearby) a group of 135 fey composed of evil grig rogues, jaebrin (Monster Manual V), and evil hybsils (Monsters of Faerûn), 13 domovoi (Frostburn), 7 shadar-kais (Fiend Folio), 4 shaedlings (Monster Manual V), 2 spriggans (Fiend Folio), and 2 6â??HD redcaps (Monster Manual III) as followers. Its cohort is a powerful fighting fey, such as a banshrae (Monster Manual V) with a couple of monk or rogue levels or a 12â??HD elder redcap (Monster Manual III) with 5 ranger levels. None of these add to the havoc orb's CR.Sample EncountersA havoc orb and its retinue travel from place to place in the forests, and they have no fixed lair. In this way, it serves as a moving ravager monster. Sometimes additional fey join the creature for short periods, so it can be encountered with more powerful fey than normally found in its retinue.Devastated Fey Grove (EL 16): A havoc orb and its retinue have overrun a grove where good fey, including dryads, grigs, hybsils, nymphs, and satyrs were at play. Now the good fey are in a fight for their lives, and losing rapidly. Their only hope might be the PCs.Lunar Madness (EL 17): Instead of its usual retinue, a havoc orb is using twelve lunar ravagers (Monster Manual IV) to wreak destruction on a humanoid settlement at the edge of a forest. Perhaps the PCs are staying the night there on their way to some other adventure.Roving Rage (EL 18): Two ragewalkers (Monster Manual III) have joined with a havoc orb and serve as its advance warriors. The ragewalkers attack first, followed by the more powerful members of the retinue, while the havoc orb launches eldritch blasts at foes to draw them toward itself.Havoc Orb LoreCharacters with ranks in Knowledge (dungeoneering) can learn more about the havoc orb. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following information is recalled (including that for lower DCs).Knowledge (Dungeoneering)DC Result26 This creature is a havoc orb. It is a bizarre creature from a distant plane that loathes all life. It leads groups of evil fey creatures and relies on powerful defenses. This reveals all aberration traits.31 A havoc orb has a variety of spell-like abilities that it can quicken, empower, or maximize.36 A havoc orb is well protected against most attacks, having damage reduction, spell resistance, and a special ability to make itself immune to new attacks that affect it. Attacks directed at it are warped by its strange geometry and sometimes redirected at its opponents.41 Havoc orbs are conduits for wild magic, and spells cast at the creature can be warped in unknown ways if the caster is not well focused.EcologyThe havoc orb is a living mechanism. It is created in a factory on some distant lawful plane through an unknown process. To create one, the very fabric of chaos from Limbo is taken and carefully urged into an order that is metastable. It is because of this metastability that havoc orbs go mad when confronted with a non-ordered reality that they must compute, calculate, and model internally.Environment: The havoc orb is attracted to areas of higher natural chaos, such as forests. It also attracts chaos to itself, which is why the fey are so enamored of it. Thus, it prefers forests and mountainous areas of wilderness on the Material Plane. The creature perceives an inherent order in water, and so avoids lakes and seas, but a havoc orb can easily adapt to living underwater, and in rare cases one might find one of these creatures under a sea leading aquatic fey.Typical Physical Characteristics: A havoc orb is a creature of spinning gears and spindles that moves with precision. About 12 feet tall, its claws change as they come into contact with other creatures or matter to mimic that material. The effect is hard to see because the appendages seem to ripple and vanish into whatever it is touching. The creature's limbs phase through each other so that it can move perfectly, if slowly, without getting tangled in its own legs. The limbs also phase through the central eye, which does not become insubstantial at all. The central eye is the anchor for the creature on whatever plane it is on; without that anchor the creature would reorganize its body to become part of the multiverse.Alignment: These creatures are always lawful evil. They begin existence as lawful neutral creatures on their home plane, which is a place of perfect order easy for them to understand. As soon as they experience any other reality, they go mad and twist to evil. This may seem a stark contradiction to its body, but it is a creature of perfectly ordered chaos and thus coexists with its own incongruity.SocietyNo societies of havoc orbs exist. Each has its own retinue of evil fey followers, but they never associate with others of their race because each is mad in its own unique way. Within that circle the society functions like any other fey group would. The havoc orb does not pay any real attention to its retinue other than to shepherd it along and lead it into combat.Typical TreasureBecause havoc orbs don't have lairs, their treasure is all made up of jewels or magic items that can be carried around. This treasure is always found on the members of the fey retinue, since the creature itself doesn't care about or use magic items. Thus, the powerful members of the retinue usually have items that make up the value of a standard treasure for EL 16 (28,000 gp). These usually include magic weapons, protective items, and ioun stones. For some reason, ioun stones gravitate toward a havoc orb.Havoc Orbs in EberronCreations of powers on Daanvi, these creatures are too lawful even for the Plane of Perfect Order. The essence that powers them comes from Dal Quor itself, from deep within the dream-filled depths. Because of this, one sage put forth the idea that the creatures are actually creations of the Quori.The havoc orbs cross into Eberron when Daanvi is coterminous and then move to the forested regions of the Eldeen Reaches and Karrnath. They are a constant source of worry and activity for the Gatekeeper druids.Havoc Orbs in FaerûnHavoc orbs and their fey retinues live in the deepest forests of Faerûn, such as the Jungles of Chult, the High Forest, and the Chondalwood. In the last few years, more and more of them have appeared, and they have spread to smaller forests as they run into conflict with each other.The Red Wizards, on learning of the existence of these creatures, have started experimenting on a small number. Shorn of their fey retinues, they have little offensive power and are somewhat safe to keep in captivity.Additional FeatsThese feats are not presented in the core rulebooks.Elusive Target (Complete Warrior): The Elusive Target feat enables the use of three tactical maneuvers.Negate Power Attack: To use this maneuver, you must designate a specific foe to be affected by your Dodge feat. If that foe uses the Power Attack feat against you, the foe gains no bonus on the damage roll but still takes the corresponding penalty on the attack roll.Diverting Defense: To use this maneuver, you must be flanked and you must designate one of the flanking attackers to be affected by your Dodge feat. The first attack of the round from the designated attacker automatically misses you and may strike the other flanking foe instead; the attacking creature makes an attack roll normally, and its ally is considered flat-footed. If the designated attacker is making a full attack against you, its second and subsequent attacks function normally.Cause Overreach: To use this maneuver, you must provoke an attack of opportunity from a foe by moving out of a threatened square. If the foe misses you, you can make a free trip attempt against this foe, and the foe does not get a chance to trip you if your attempt fails.Maximize Spell-Like Ability (Complete Arcane): Choose one of your spell-like abilities (subject to the restrictions below) to use at maximum effectiveness up to three times per day (or the ability's normal use limit, whichever is less). All variable, numeric effects of the spell-like ability are maximized, dealing maximum damage, curing the maximum number of hit points, affecting the maximum number of targets, and so on. An empowered maximized spell-like ability gains the benefit of each feat separately (getting the maximum result plus one-half the normally rolled result). The spell-like ability you wish to maximize can be chosen only from those abilities that duplicate a spell of a level less than or equal to 1/2 your caster level (round down), minus 2.Supernatural Transformation (Savage Species): One of your innate spell-like abilities becomes a supernatural ability. It is no longer subject to spell resistance, though it can still be suppressed in an antimagic field. Using this ability does not provoke an attack of opportunity. The number of uses, if limited, does not change. The effective caster level equals your total Hit Dice or the effective caster level of the original ability, whichever is higher.About the AuthorRobert Wiese has been playing D&D since 1978 after he watched a game played in the car on the way home from a Boy Scouts camping trip. He was fascinated, so he delved into this strange world of dragons and magic and sourcebooks. Years later, he was hired to edit tournaments for the RPGA Network, and from there he progressed to running the network after his boss was assassinated in the great Christmas purge of 1996. Times were tough, but he persevered and brought the RPGA into a shining new era. Eventually he met a girl who liked to play D&D too, and he left Renton for the warmth and casinos of Reno, Nevada. Now, he works in the Pharmacology department of UNR, where he studies mouse foot muscles and the effects of RF emissions on same, and teaches physics at Truckee Meadows Community College. He spends as much time as possible with his wife Rhonda, son Owen, and daughter Rebecca.
