Wednesday, December 5, 2012

Artemis: Fully Revised Killing Machine


As I mentioned in my last post, I fully revised Artemis for the upcoming "Lifer Army Book" The red text depicts her as a D20 Modern Outsider, built according to those rules. She appeared this way in both The Guide to the Known Galaxy and the Otherverse America Campaign Setting. 

The white text is revised material, rebuilding Artemis as a Pathfinder RPG Outsider of equivalent Challenge Rating. The results are shockingly different, with the PFRPG version of Artemis getting a dramatic power boost just by the numbers, and some cleaner, more unique abilities just because I felt like punching up her design. 

The art is a detail of the cover of the Otherverse America Game Master's Guide, by Felipe Gaona. 

Artemis (CR 28)
Large Lifechained Outsider
Lifechain: 1
Init +4; Senses Darkvision 120 ft, Lowlight Vision, Scent. Sensor suite equal to a PL 8 light starship. Aura None
Languages Any

Defense 24, touch 14, flat-footed 20
hp 18d8+234(315 hp); DR 10/magic Fast Healing 5
Immune Ballistic Damage, Fire, Force, Cold, Radiation, Suffocation and Vacuum. Massive Damage. Poison, Disease, Stunning, Non-lethal damage, energy drain, ability score damage. Immune to predatory Lifechain abilities
Resist Electricity 15
Fort +24, Ref +14, Will +14

Speed 50 ft / flight 80 ft (average) Starleap space flight
Melee +27 melee (3d6+9 slam)
Melee Space 10 ft x 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Base Atk +18; Grp +31
Atk Options +27 melee (3d6+9 slam)
or + 22 ranged (Particle Beam 8d8 fire/slashing. Negates fire resistance. 10 mile range increment, crit 18-20 x2)
or optic lasers (6d6 force, automatically hit within 1000 ft)
 
Abilities STR 28 DEX 16 CON 37 INT 12 WIS 17 CHA 15
SQ Goddess of the Hunt, Lifechained Primacy, Frightful Presence (Fearsome Violence)
Feats Fearsome Violence, Point Blank Shot, Dead Aim, Burst Fire, Strafe
Skills Intimidate +24, Knowledge: tactics +18, theology & philosophy +18, Listen +14, Spot +12 , Sense Motive +12
Possessions The devotion and resources of a terrorist nation.
Lifechained (EX): Artemis is the first child born in our universe, the last and least of the Third Pantheon. For all her world-shaking power, she is considered to have a single Lifechained feat for the purposes of predatory feats. Artemis is immune to the effects of predatory Lifechain feats.

Lifechain Primacy (SU): As the first begotten child of the Third Pantheon, Artemis can restrict the behavior of lesser Lifechains. Lifechained creatures cannot easily attack or hinder Artemis.

            Non-Lifechains are not affected by this ability in any way.
            Lifechain creatures with 19+ HD are immune to the effects of this ability.
            Lifechain creatures with 9-18 HD cannot make attacks of opportunity against Artemis.
            Lifechain creatures with fewer than 9 HD cannot attack or take direct hostile actions against Artemis.
            Lifechained creatures with 4 or fewer HD cannot attack or take direct hostile action against either Artemis or known allies of Artemis, providing those allies are within 60 ft of the Goddess.

            Each Lifechain feat a creature possesses reduces its effective character level / Hit Dice by –1 for the purpose of this ability.

Goddess of the Hunt (SU): Artemis is incredibly powerful, and during the War she single handedly won engagements against entire tank battalions. Artemis’ presence was a major factor in prolonging the War; her might was the ultimate ‘force multiplier’ for the embattled Lifer nation.

            When Artemis attacks with her main guns, their minimum attack roll is 12. If the gamemaster chooses, she may simply declare that the Artemis rolls 12 on her attack roll, without having to use dice. If Artemis wishes to expend additional effort, she can roll to strike normally. In this case, the minimum attack roll possible is 12. A roll of 1-11 is treated as a roll of 12, and a roll of 12+ is resolved normally.
           
Artemis’ main guns are a fusion-particle beams powerful enough to blow through a mountain. This impressive weapon has a range increment of 10 miles in an atmosphere, and no maximum range when used in vacuum. The particle beam inflicts 8d8 points of damage, half fire and half slashing.

Artemis always confirms a critical hit when attacking with her particle beam. The particle cannon scores a critical hit on a roll of 18-20 and inflicts double damage on a critical hit. The cannon ignores Fire Resistance or Immunity; the lancing, urine-yellow beam burns hotter than a main sequence star, and can scorch even Roe’s invulnerable flesh.

Like all the members of the Third Pantheon, Artemis is incredibly durable. Thanks to her divine nature, she is immune to a variety of energy forms, and is incredibly resistant to physical damage. She has spurned many portions of her divine heritage, and lacks the typical godly Spell Resistance. Her cybernetically enhanced divine form constantly repairs itself. Artemis possesses Fast Healing 5.

As a divine creature, Artemis can speak and is literate in all known languages.

Frightful Presence (SU): Artemis can inspire terror by charging or attacking. Affected creatures must succeed on a WILL Save (DC 19) or become shaken, remaining in that condition as long as they remain with 60 feet of the Artemis.

Artemis has the Fearsome Violence feat, which improves her Frightful Presence. Each time the Artemis kills a living creature during a particular encounter, this save DC increases by one. Creatures within range of Artemis’ frightful presence aura must succeed on a new save after each kill. 

Optical Lasers (EX): Integrated laser systems are built into Artemis’ eyes, allowing her to slice apart any adversary she can see. These crimson laser beams require no attack roll, and automatically hit any single target within 1000 ft. Artemis’ eye lasers inflict 6d6 points of force damage as an attack action.

And now, the revised, much deadlier and far more fun PFRPG-style Artemis. 

Artemis (CR 29)
Large Outsider (Lifechained)
Lifecount: 1

XP  2,000,000 plus (good luck getting it though)
Init +7             Senses Darkvision 120 ft, Lowlight Vision, Scent. Sensor suite equal to a PL 8 light starship.
Languages Any

Defense
AC 27 (-1 size, +3 DEX, + 25 equipment)
HP 740 hp (40d10+520 hp)
Damage Reduction 15/magic
Fast Healing 10
Regeneration (acid, electricity and Lifechained natural attacks circumvent)
DR 10/magic Fast Healing 5

Fort +36, Ref +26, Will +18
Immune Ballistic Damage, Fire, Force, Cold, Radiation, Suffocation and Vacuum. Massive Damage. Poison, Disease, Stunning, Non-lethal damage, energy drain, ability score damage. Immune to predatory Lifechain abilities
Resist Electricity 15
Weakness Lifechained Subtype (suppressed)
Offense
Speed 50 ft ; Flight 100 ft (average) ; Starleap space flight
Melee +50/+45/+20/+35 Unarmed Strike (4d8+9 bludgeoning plus stunned for 1 minute and knocked prone ; DC 18 FORT negates both conditions. Ignores up to 10 points of Damage Reduction.)
           
            Or +50 Greater Vital Strike (As Unarmed Strike but multiply damage by four (x4)!)

Ranged +44/+39/+34/+29 Huntress Beam (25d12 fire- average 162 fire- crit 17-20/x3. Ignores all fire immunity or resistance, 10 mile range increment in atmosphere, full autofire, unlimited payload)

Special Actions Optic Lasers (automatically hit as swift action 1/round within 1,000 ft, 100 force damage)

Summon Hunting Maidens (summon 1d4+1 statistical duplicates of Life Tank (CR 19) as a full round action)

Statistics
Str 28 Dex 16 Con 37 Int 12 Wis 17 Cha 15
Base Atk +40 CMB +54 CMD 67
Feats Improved Initiative, Point Blank Shot, Dead Aim, Frightful Presence, Fearsome Violence, Power Attack, Cleave, Great Cleave, Whirlwind Attack, Dodge, Mobility, Spring Attack, Fly-By Attack, Weapon Focus (Unarmed Strike and Huntress Beam), Penetrating Strike and Greater Penetrating Strike (Unarmed Strike), Vital Strike (plus Improved and Greater Vital Strike for Unarmed Strike)
20 feats
Skills Bluff +33, Diplomacy +33, Intimidate +33, Knowledge (tactics) +32, Knowledge (theology & philosophy) +32, Knowledge (physical sciences) +32, Perception +36, Pilot +33, Sense Motive +36
Gear The trust, love and military resources of an entire terrorist nation.
Special Abilities

            Lifechained (EX)
            Artemis is the first child born in our universe, the last and least of the Third Pantheon. For all her world-shaking power, she is considered to have a single Lifechained feat for the purposes of predatory feats. Artemis is immune to the effects of predatory Lifechain feats.

            Lifechain Primacy (SU)
            As the first begotten child of the Third Pantheon, Artemis can restrict the behavior of lesser Lifechains. Lifechained creatures cannot easily attack or hinder Artemis.

·        Non-Lifechains are not affected by this ability in any way.
·        Lifechain creatures with 19+ HD are immune to the effects of this ability.
·        Lifechain creatures with 9-18 HD cannot make attacks of opportunity against Artemis.
·        Lifechain creatures with fewer than 9 HD cannot attack or take direct hostile actions against Artemis.
·        Lifechained creatures with 4 or fewer HD cannot attack or take direct hostile action against either Artemis or known allies of Artemis, providing those allies are within 60 ft of the Goddess.

            Each Lifechain feat a creature possesses reduces its effective character level / Hit Dice by –1 for the purpose of this ability.

Goddess of the Hunt (SU)
Artemis is incredibly powerful, and during the War she single handedly won engagements against entire tank battalions. Artemis’ presence was a major factor in prolonging the War; her might was the ultimate ‘force multiplier’ for the embattled Lifer nation.

            When Artemis attacks with her Huntress Beam her minimum attack roll is 12. If the gamemaster chooses, she may simply declare that the Artemis rolls 12 (for a total of +55 to hit maximum) on her attack roll, without having to use dice. If Artemis wishes to expend additional effort, she can roll to strike normally. In this case, the minimum attack roll possible is 12. A roll of 1-11 is treated as a roll of 12, and a roll of 12+ is resolved normally.
           
Artemis always confirms a critical hit when attacking with her Huntress Beam. The particle cannon scores a critical hit on a roll of 18-20 and inflicts triple damage on a critical hit. Artemis always confirms critical hits with her Huntress Beam. Artemis’ Huntress Beam ignores any Fire Resistance or Immunity possessed by its target. The lancing, urine-yellow beam burns hotter than a main sequence star, and can scorch even Roe’s invulnerable flesh.

            Optic Lasers (EX)
            Integrated laser systems are built into Artemis’ eyes, allowing her to slice apart any adversary she can see. These crimson laser beams require no attack roll, and automatically hit any single target within 1,000 ft. Activating the optic lasers is a swift action, usable once per round. She usually uses this ability to finish off wounded targets, destroy lightly armored vehicles or assassinate specific Choicer targets or VIPs while using her Huntress Beam against superhuman guardians.

            Frightful Presence (SU)
            Artemis can inspire terror by charging or attacking. Affected creatures must succeed on a WILL Save (DC 25) or become shaken, remaining in that condition as long as they remain with 60 feet of Artemis.

Artemis has the Fearsome Violence feat, which improves her Frightful Presence. Each time the Artemis kills a living creature during a particular encounter, this save DC increases by one. Creatures within range of Artemis’ frightful presence aura must succeed on a new save after each kill.

            Hunting Maidens (SU)
            Once per day, as a full round action, Artemis can summon powerful Lifechained warmachines to assist her. Artemis uses this ability to summon 1d4+1 Hunting Maidens. Called from the dark behind the stars, the mad goddess Artemis refers to these creatures as her ‘Hunting Maidens’. These creatures resemble humanoid cyborgs with a glossy black carapace and a vaguely female chassis configuration. Their featureless face masks are dotted with spiderlike camera lenses that glow an unnerving purple; a pair of sleek rail guns with ivory barrels rise from the Maidens’ forearms.

            For the Maidens, use Life Tank’s statblock (CR 19) as described in this sourcebook, with the following change. Hunting Maidens are Medium creatures.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

I had some time to kill, so I wanted to go over some of the errata for PF-Artemis.

As an outsider, she should have the Native or Extraplanar subtype (probably the former).

Being CR 29, she should be worth (according to the Tome of Horrors Complete) 6,560,000 XP.

Her Languages entry should be "All" rather than "Any."

Her +25 "equipment" bonus is, insofar as I can tell, undetermined as to exactly what sort of bonus that is, e.g. does it apply to her touch and flat-footed ACs?(Neither of which are listed, also.) Her bonus from her Dodge feat is also not listed.

You have Damage Reduction and Fast Healing listed twice in her stat block, each time for different values.

Her saving throws should be Fort +35, Ref +25, Will +16.

Her Immunitites (like her feats) should be listed alphabetically for ease of reference.

Her attack bonus seems to be off. She has (+40 BAB, +9 Str, -1 size, +1 Weapon Focus) a +49 total that I can see, rather than +50. Also, her third attack should be +40, but is listed as +20.

Likewise, her ranged attack is (+40 BAB, +3 Dex, -1 size, +1 Weapon Focus) for a +43 bonus, rather than +44.

Her CMB should be +50 total (+40 BAB, +9 Str, +1 size), and her CMD should be 63 (base 10, +40 BAB, +9 Str, +3 Dex, +1 size).

Finally, summons are usually a spell-like ability, with a listed spell level (for attempts to dispel) and a note on how long the summons lasts.

These are just off the top of my head, but help to illustrate why an editor is a writer's best friend.

I suspect her "Dead Aim" feat is supposed to be "Deadly Aim."

Technically, Artemis doesn't meet the prerequisites for Penetrating Strike and Greater Penetrating Strike, as those require fighter levels.

Chris A. Field said...

Nice catches. I'll include almost all of your notes in the finished book- the only one I won't change is the last one about Penetrating and Greater Penetrating Strike. That one I deliberately broke the rules on, as I wanted her to have some extra close-range punch.

CHRIS