Shadow Warriors

[Optimusnorm]

For those of you who recall the shadow servant/warrior in the episode "The Long Dark":

I'm bringing one into my game. My players know very little about Babylon 5 and so I have started them off at the beginning of season 2. What I would like to know is can anyone help with making the statistics up for one of these terrible creatures?

The most complete info I have seen on the web is http://www.infinicorp.com/VEX/aliens/shadow-warriors.htm but this isn't an RPG website so no stats! My PC's have just crashed on a planet after a run in with some raiders...help is on the way but I want to give them a taste of things to come by having them awaken a dormant warrior at some old ruins they have just found.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated!

 

[Mage]

Well lets see....

A good tip if you want something big for them to brawl with would be to check out the D&D monster manual and pick something with an appropriate challenge rating. Then it is a matter of just adding to it or modifying it, rather than starting from scratch.

I'll check out my one and see what may match, and watch the episode at some point.

 

[Optimusnorm]

I don't have the monster manual so I'd appreciate you looking.

In the spirit of the episode I would like something that won't just barge in and kill everyone....I was thinking more like the first predator movie as that's how it seems to operate. It's meant to sentient and very patient so my overall aim is to have the PC's find an old shuttle which they can repair (one is a very gifted engineer)...the creature will then try to program the shuttle to take it to Za'hadum but it will be killed after the PC's figure out it is behind the mysterious deaths of pretty much all the other NPCs who survived the crash on the planet.

The final confrontation will be a big firefight I hope as from what I recall of the episode they had station security shooting it with PPG rifles to kill it.

 

[Da Boss]

If you wanted a twist you could have the Shadow Warrior save them from the raiders for its own unknowable reasons ............or perhaps it uses them as bait for the perusing raiders hoping to capture their more useful ship...............

It could certainly make a different patron :wink:

 

[Shadow Queen]

got darkness and light?

 

[Kizarvexis]

For those of you who recall the shadow servant/warrior in the episode "The Long Dark":

I'm bringing one into my game. My players know very little about Babylon 5 and so I have started them off at the beginning of season 2. What I would like to know is can anyone help with making the statistics up for one of these terrible creatures?

The most complete info I have seen on the web is http://www.infinicorp.com/VEX/aliens/shadow-warriors.htm but this isn't an RPG website so no stats! My PC's have just crashed on a planet after a run in with some raiders...help is on the way but I want to give them a taste of things to come by having them awaken a dormant warrior at some old ruins they have just found.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated!

Well lets see...I would guess...

10th level with 40 hp
Initiative of +8 (+4 from Dex)
speed 40ft (fly)
Size Large (10ft with 10ft reach)
DV 18 (+8 from Reflex)
Attack +10 melee (with d6 electrical damage that ignores all DR)
DR of 5 vs energy and 15 vs everything else.
Fort +12, ref +8, Will +6
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
It would have skills of Hide +14, Listen +10, and Move Silently +14

It would have the feats of Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative and Lifesense

It would be incorporeal, so attacks would miss 50% of the time

It could go invisible at the cost 1hp nonlethal damage per round with no attacks while invisible. Swapping from invisible to visible and the reverse would be a standard action.

It was so scary it should require a Will save (DC 10) or flee for d6 rounds and be shaken for d6 rounds. If you make the save by 4 or less, you are only shaken for d6 rounds. If you make the save by 5 or more, you are immune to the fear of that particular Shadow Beast from then on.

A hit from it should require a Fort save (DC 14) or you would be paralyzed for d6 round. Multiple paralyzations would stack.

If it hits, it will attempt to grapple. The opposed grapple check is with Dex, not Str. If the beast wins, then it envelopes the victim and the victim can not move until it breaks free (with successive Dex based grapple checks) or the creature leaves the reach of the victim. Each round a victim is enveloped, it is auto hit and must make a Fort save (DC 16) or lose 1 pt of Constitution. Zero Con means you are dead with your guts slurped out for dinner by the beast.

Kizarvexis

With all of the thanks to "Into The Crucible"

 

[Optimusnorm]

If you wanted a twist you could have the Shadow Warrior save them from the raiders for its own unknowable reasons ............or perhaps it uses them as bait for the perusing raiders hoping to capture their more useful ship...............

It could certainly make a different patron :wink:

The planet they crashed on is one from the galactic guide and is in disputed neutral space with a human luddite colony...I was planning to have some of the luddite arrive at the crash site to help the characters only to be killed by the Shadow Warrior...the remaining luddites would blame the characters of course but one will eventually reveal a hidden shuttle in the overgrowth which they might be able to get working - when they do the SW will try to sneak about and program it to go to Za'hadum (fitting in with the show's line that the ancient enemy is gathering it's forces)...but it will lead to a confrontation with the characters...

I really like your idea though and am thinking how to weave it in!

 

[Optimusnorm]

got darkness and light?

Don;t have it.

 

[Da Boss]

If you wanted a twist you could have the Shadow Warrior save them from the raiders for its own unknowable reasons ............or perhaps it uses them as bait for the perusing raiders hoping to capture their more useful ship...............

It could certainly make a different patron :wink:

The planet they crashed on is one from the galactic guide and is in disputed neutral space with a human luddite colony...I was planning to have some of the luddite arrive at the crash site to help the characters only to be killed by the Shadow Warrior...the remaining luddites would blame the characters of course but one will eventually reveal a hidden shuttle in the overgrowth which they might be able to get working - when they do the SW will try to sneak about and program it to go to Za'hadum (fitting in with the show's line that the ancient enemy is gathering it's forces)...but it will lead to a confrontation with the characters...

I really like your idea though and am thinking how to weave it in!

8) A few ideas:

The luddites decide that the shuttle / crashed ship must be destroyed, the characters imprisoned / restrained but are released by the SW. However its methods are both direct and brutal and will mean the charcters are given a dilema about how to react?

The SW requires organic parts to help construct a usable craft to take it back to its masters. Now awakened it has little qualms about taking them from the planets inhabitants.........

The Luddites could see it a protector spirit and appease it - perhaps why raiders don't hassle them...........they know better. However now that the call has gone out it needs to go home and will take the opporunity to try and take over the PC's ship.

Imagine if the PCs return to find their crashed ship had been enhanced and adapted with new organic technoloy - that also uses some of the (hostile?) locals as parts.............

 

[Optimusnorm]

Well lets see...I would guess...

10th level with 40 hp
Initiative of +8 (+4 from Dex)
speed 40ft (fly)
Size Large (10ft with 10ft reach)
DV 18 (+8 from Reflex)
Attack +10 melee (with d6 electrical damage that ignores all DR)
DR of 5 vs energy and 15 vs everything else.
Fort +12, ref +8, Will +6
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
It would have skills of Hide +14, Listen +10, and Move Silently +14

It would have the feats of Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative and Lifesense

It would be incorporeal, so attacks would miss 50% of the time

It could go invisible at the cost 1hp nonlethal damage per round with no attacks while invisible. Swapping from invisible to visible and the reverse would be a standard action.

It was so scary it should require a Will save (DC 10) or flee for d6 rounds and be shaken for d6 rounds. If you make the save by 4 or less, you are only shaken for d6 rounds. If you make the save by 5 or more, you are immune to the fear of that particular Shadow Beast from then on.

A hit from it should require a Fort save (DC 14) or you would be paralyzed for d6 round. Multiple paralyzations would stack.

If it hits, it will attempt to grapple. The opposed grapple check is with Dex, not Str. If the beast wins, then it envelopes the victim and the victim can not move until it breaks free (with successive Dex based grapple checks) or the creature leaves the reach of the victim. Each round a victim is enveloped, it is auto hit and must make a Fort save (DC 16) or lose 1 pt of Constitution. Zero Con means you are dead with your guts slurped out for dinner by the beast.

Kizarvexis

With all of the thanks to "Into The Crucible"

Fantastic!

I like those stats and have just tweaked them as the group is small and not really combat focuses and I don't want them all dying...I will play up the fear and suspense factor more though to really give them something to think about.

Thanks!

 

[Optimusnorm]

8) A few ideas:

The luddites decide that the shuttle / crashed ship must be destroyed, the characters imprisoned / restrained but are released by the SW. However its methods are both direct and brutal and will mean the charcters are given a dilema about how to react?

The SW requires organic parts to help construct a usable craft to take it back to its masters. Now awakened it has little qualms about taking them from the planets inhabitants.........

The Luddites could see it a protector spirit and appease it - perhaps why raiders don't hassle them...........they know better. However now that the call has gone out it needs to go home and will take the opporunity to try and take over the PC's ship.

Imagine if the PCs return to find their crashed ship had been enhanced and adapted with new organic technoloy - that also uses some of the (hostile?) locals as parts.............

Some great ideas there that go my creative juices flowing - really appreciate that!

 

[Kizarvexis]

Well lets see...I would guess...

10th level with 40 hp
Initiative of +8 (+4 from Dex)
speed 40ft (fly)
Size Large (10ft with 10ft reach)
DV 18 (+8 from Reflex)
Attack +10 melee (with d6 electrical damage that ignores all DR)
DR of 5 vs energy and 15 vs everything else.
Fort +12, ref +8, Will +6
Str 10, Dex 18, Con 24, Int 10, Wis 10, Cha 16
It would have skills of Hide +14, Listen +10, and Move Silently +14

It would have the feats of Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative and Lifesense

It would be incorporeal, so attacks would miss 50% of the time

It could go invisible at the cost 1hp nonlethal damage per round with no attacks while invisible. Swapping from invisible to visible and the reverse would be a standard action.

It was so scary it should require a Will save (DC 10) or flee for d6 rounds and be shaken for d6 rounds. If you make the save by 4 or less, you are only shaken for d6 rounds. If you make the save by 5 or more, you are immune to the fear of that particular Shadow Beast from then on.

A hit from it should require a Fort save (DC 14) or you would be paralyzed for d6 round. Multiple paralyzations would stack.

If it hits, it will attempt to grapple. The opposed grapple check is with Dex, not Str. If the beast wins, then it envelopes the victim and the victim can not move until it breaks free (with successive Dex based grapple checks) or the creature leaves the reach of the victim. Each round a victim is enveloped, it is auto hit and must make a Fort save (DC 16) or lose 1 pt of Constitution. Zero Con means you are dead with your guts slurped out for dinner by the beast.

Kizarvexis

With all of the thanks to "Into The Crucible"

Fantastic!

I like those stats and have just tweaked them as the group is small and not really combat focuses and I don't want them all dying...I will play up the fear and suspense factor more though to really give them something to think about.

Thanks!

Thank Bruce Graw as he wrote "Into the Crucible" where the stats were located.

Kizarvexis

 

[Shadow Queen]

Im working on a large conversion sa we speak