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Design Notes
Drow raiders captured Drashan Daverund at an early age, and he grew up as a slave of a powerful drow house. He learned to use his great strength for throwing because drow enclaves and cities are usually within large cavernous spaces, and he also needed to learn to fight in tight places in case his owners sent him after drow enemies. He believes that the raiders enslaved him so that he could work off his people’s debt for their ancient crime (whatever that was), and he accepts his fate philosophically. He serves as best as he can, hoping to pay off more of the debt that way. Should he be free to return to his people, he plans to find and defend his lost caverns against drow and other Underdark races. The drow house that owns Drashan keeps him well equipped for his work, and it sends him into very dangerous situations. They realize he is valuable to the house, but only if he is effective and feared by the house’s enemies. Drashan is usually not encountered alone; the drow always send a few warriors and a cleric or sorcerer to make sure he doesn’t escape. Drashan Daverund as a Hulking Hurler Drashan is a young adult at this stage in his career, and he has just become a hulking hurler (the hulking hurler prestige class is presented in Complete Warrior ). He specializes in throwing huge javelins, but he also feels very comfortable using his huge warhammer too. He uses Power Attack judiciously when in melee, but he always uses it a bit. He is well trained in mixing his special abilities into his combat tactics. If he needs to escape, he uses meld into stone and tries to wait out his foes. Drashan Daverund CR 13
Catch Weapon (Ex) A hulking hurler gains the Snatch Arrows feat even if he does not meet the prerequisites. He may catch weapons of his size or smaller (and hurl them back at the attacker immediately if he chooses). Oversize Weapon (Ex) A maur can wield a two-handed weapon as though it were one-handed and a one-handed weapon as though it were light. Really Throw Anything (Ex) A hulking hurler gains the Throw Anything feat as a bonus feat. However, since a hulking hurler depends on brute strength more than skill, he can throw anything (not just weapons) he can lift as a light load. If the item is an improvised weapon, he takes a -2 penalty on his attack roll instead of the normal -4. Use the rules in Chapter 4 of Complete Warrior to determine the amount of damage the thrown weapon does. The range increment of a thrown weapon or improvised weapon wielded by a hulking hurler is 10 feet + 5 feet per size category the hulking hurler is beyond Large (this is a modification of the Throw Anything feat). Unfurled Might (Su) When in a space at least 20 feet high that offers sufficient room for a creature with a 15-foot space, a maur can unfurl from its stooped, hunched position as a standard action. Unfurling is an agonizing, joint-popping experience for the maur, though it relishes the change. While completely unfurled, the maur gains a +6 bonus to Strength, a +6 bonus to Constitution, and a +4 morale bonus to AC and saving throws. See the alterations below for Drashan in unfurled stats. A maur can spend 10 rounds unfurled each day before it is forced back into its prior hunched conformation. When unfurled, make these changes to the above statistics. NE Huge Giant (earth)
Drashan Daverund as a Master Thrower Cavelord Older and more experienced, Drashan is even more dangerous now. He has learned to combine the throwing skills of the hulking hurler with those of the master thrower (the master thrower prestige class is also presented in Complete Warrior ). His close-in fighting comes from the cavelord prestige class (from Underdark ). He is more deadly with javelins and can quick-draw them so he gets three a round from his quiver of Ehlonna . He prefers to move the fight to a place he can unfurl, if possible, and he used spider climb and meld into stone to get positional advantages over his foes. Now that he can use Power Attack on thrown weapons within 30 feet, he takes full advantage of that (though still judiciously). Drashan Daverund CR 17
Ranged Power Attack (Ex) If the target is within 30 feet, the hulking hurler can use Power Attack with his thrown weapon. In order to use this ability, Drashan must grip the weapon or improvised weapon in two hands and throw it as a full-round action. Deadeye Shot (Ex) The critical multiplier for Drashan’s javelins increases by one (included above). The benefit of this ability does not stack with any other effect that increases critical multipliers. Tunnel Scream (Su) Once per day, a maur can scream within any enclosure of stone or natural earth (such as in an earthen tunnel or a stone building). Its scream fills a 60-foot cone with sonic energy. Any creature within this area is stunned for 1 round, deafened for 4d6 rounds, and takes 10d6 points of damage. A DC 23 Fortitude save negates the stunning and deafness effects and reduces the damage by half. The save DC is Constitution-based. Catch Weapon (Ex) A hulking hurler gains the Snatch Arrows feat even if he does not meet the prerequisites. He may catch weapons of his size or smaller (and hurl them back at the attacker immediately if he chooses). Oversize Weapon (Ex) A maur can wield a two-handed weapon as though it were one-handed and a one-handed weapon as though it were light. Really Throw Anything (Ex) A hulking hurler gains the Throw Anything feat as a bonus feat. However, since a hulking hurler depends on brute strength more than skill, he can throw anything (not just weapons) he can lift as a light load. If the item is an improvised weapon, he takes a -2 penalty on his attack roll instead of the normal -4. Use the rules in Chapter 4 of Complete Warrior to determine the amount of damage the thrown weapon does. The range increment of a thrown weapon or improvised weapon wielded by a hulking hurler is 10 feet + 5 feet per size category the hulking hurler is beyond Large (this is a modification of the Throw Anything feat). Unfurled Might (Su) When in a space at least 20 feet high that offers sufficient room for a creature with a 15-foot space, a maur can unfurl from its stooped, hunched position as a standard action. Unfurling is an agonizing, joint-popping experience for the maur, though it relishes the change. While completely unfurled, the maur gains a +6 bonus to Strength, a +6 bonus to Constitution, and a +4 morale bonus to AC and saving throws. See the alterations below for Drashan in unfurled stats. A maur can spend 10 rounds unfurled each day before it is forced back into its prior hunched conformation. When unfurled, make these changes to the above statistics. NE Huge Giant (earth)
Drashan Daverund as an Experienced Master Thrower With five levels of master thrower and three of hulking hurler, Drashan is a very dangerous foe indeed. He prefers to attack first from a distance, usually on a wall, and throw javelins and use his spell-like abilities. Don’t forget tumbling toss and two with one blow—he doesn’t. When out of javelins, or when forced into melee, he swings his warhammer and uses its brutal surge ability every round until its uses are exhausted for the day. He tries to push opponents past his drow handlers, so they can take attacks of opportunity. When he scores a critical hit, it really hurts now. And, he always uses Power Attack for at least 5 unless a foe has a really high Armor Class. Drashan is not above leaving a combat that he is losing so that he can survive and continue his service. He never has feelings of hatred for foes; to him they are just duties on the road to freedom for his people. Drashan Daverund CR 21
Meteor Strike (Ex) As a full-round action, a hulking hurler deals extra damage equal to twice his Strength bonus on a successful hit with a thrown weapon. In order to use this ability, Drashan must grip the weapon or improvised weapon in two hands and throw it as a full-round action. Ranged Power Attack (Ex) If the target is within 30 feet, the hulking hurler can use Power Attack with his thrown weapon. In order to use this ability, Drashan must grip the weapon or improvised weapon in two hands and throw it as a full-round action. Deadeye Shot (Ex) The critical multiplier for Drashan’s javelins increases by one (included above). The benefit of this ability does not stack with any other effect that increases critical multipliers. Tumbling Toss (Ex) When wearing light, medium, or no armor, a master thrower with this ability can hurl a single thrown weapon at any point during a tumbling attempt as a standard action. If the result of his Tumble check is 25 or higher, the master thrower does not provoke an attack of opportunity for making this attack regardless of how many opponents threaten him. Two with One Blow (Ex) If a master thrower with this ability uses a thrown weapon to attack two opponents adjacent to each other, she may take a -4 penalty on the attack roll and attempt to hit both opponents at once. The attack may hit either, both, or neither opponent depending on the roll and the Armor Class of each opponent. Damage for each opponent is resolved separately. If the attack roll results in the threat of a critical hit, roll to confirm each critical hit separately. Tunnel Scream (Su) Once per day, a maur can scream within any enclosure of stone or natural earth (such as in an earthen tunnel or a stone building). Its scream fills a 60-foot cone with sonic energy. Any creature within this area is stunned for 1 round, deafened for 4d6 rounds, and takes 10d6 points of damage. A DC 25 Fortitude save negates the stunning and deafness effects and reduces the damage by half. The save DC is Constitution-based. Catch Weapon (Ex) A hulking hurler gains the Snatch Arrows feat even if he does not meet the prerequisites. He may catch weapons of his size or smaller (and hurl them back at the attacker immediately if he chooses). Oversize Weapon (Ex) A maur can wield a two-handed weapon as though it were one-handed and a one-handed weapon as though it were light. Really Throw Anything (Ex) A hulking hurler gains the Throw Anything feat as a bonus feat. However, since a hulking hurler depends on brute strength more than skill, he can throw anything (not just weapons) he can lift as a light load. If the item is an improvised weapon, he takes a -2 penalty on his attack roll instead of the normal -4. Use the rules in Chapter 4 of Complete Warrior to determine the amount of damage the thrown weapon does. The range increment of a thrown weapon or improvised weapon wielded by a hulking hurler is 10 feet + 5 feet per size category the hulking hurler is beyond Large (this is a modification of the Throw Anything feat). Unfurled Might (Su) When in a space at least 20 feet high that offers sufficient room for a creature with a 15-foot space, a maur can unfurl from its stooped, hunched position as a standard action. Unfurling is an agonizing, joint-popping experience for the maur, though it relishes the change. While completely unfurled, the maur gains a +6 bonus to Strength, a +6 bonus to Constitution, and a +4 morale bonus to AC and saving throws. See the alterations below for Drashan in unfurled stats. A maur can spend 10 rounds unfurled each day before it is forced back into its prior hunched conformation. When unfurled, make these changes to the above statistics. NE Huge Giant (earth)
Additional Feats These feats are not presented in the Player’s Handbook or Monster Manual . Throw Anything (from Complete Warrior ): You can throw a melee weapon you are proficient with as if it were a ranged weapon. The range increment of weapons used in conjunction with this feat is 10 feet. Tunnelrunner (from Underdark ): You ignore the speed reduction for hampered movement when moving in a narrow space (an area smaller than but at least one-half of your space) or a low space (an area shorter than but at least one-half of your height). You also retain your Dexterity bonus to your Armor Class. If the space is both narrow and low, you function as if only one of those conditions applied. Tunnelfighter (from Underdark ): You ignore the penalty for hampered melee when fighting in a narrow space (an area smaller than but at least one-half of your space) or a low space (an area shorter than but at least one-half of your height) with light or one-handed melee weapons. Furthermore, you take only a -4 circumstance penalty when using a two-handed weapon in such conditions. In a space both narrow and low, you function as if only one of those conditions applied. In addition, when fighting in cramped quarters, you do not lose your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class. Additional Equipment These pieces of equipment or magical properties are not presented in the Player’s Handbook or Monster Manual . Halfweight Armor Property (from Underdark ): All halfweight armors are exceptionally crafted works of art that use psionic circuitry, exceptional materials, and unbelievable articulation engineering to reduce the weight of normal armor to half its listed weight. A halfweight armor is treated as light armor in every way, except that the protection it provides is not affected. Thus, +1 halfweight breastplate is light armor and can be used without penalty by someone who has proficiency only with light armor. Stonemail (from Underdark ): This armor is made of interlocking stone plates, cunningly carved for both thinness and strength. A layer of cured hide underneath the stone prevents chafing and cushions the impact of blows. Several layers of stone plates usually hang over vital areas, and most of the armor’s weight hangs from the shoulders. The suit includes hide gauntlets with tiny stone plates sewn onto them. Stonemail does not violate a druid’s spiritual oaths. Brutal Surge Weapon Property (from Magic Item Compendium ): After a successful melee attack with a brutal surge weapon, you can command the weapon to initiate a bull rush in addition to dealing its normal damage. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity and is resolved using your size, Strength, and other relevant characteristics. If you wield a brutal surge weapon in two hands, you gain a +2 bonus on the opposed Strength check. If successful, the bull rush pushes the affected creature back the greatest distance allowed by the result of the opposed check, but you do not move with the target. Movement caused by this bull rush attempt provokes attacks of opportunity from other creatures normally, but you cannot make an attack of opportunity against the affected creature. The brutal surge property is usable a number of times per day equal to 1 + your Con bonus (if any). Once you activate this property, it cannot be activated by any other creature until the following day. Ring of Drow Blood (from Drow of the Underdark ): A ring of drow blood grants you the ability to use dancing lights, darkness, and faerie fire as spell-like abilities, each once per day. If you already have the ability to use these spells as spell-like abilities, you gain an additional daily use for each at your normal caster level. About the Author Robert 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 meeting. He was fascinated, and 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 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 studying mouse foot muscles and the effects of RF emissions on same. He spends as much time as possible with his wife Rhonda and year-old son Owen. |
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With the new 