GOD-BLOODED GOD-BLOOD ED CRE ATURE When a deity, its avatar, or its aspect appears on t he Material Plane, any blood it sheds retains part of its divine essence. Gathered in sufficient quantities, this blood can be used to bathe as part of a special ritual, creating a god-blo god-blooded oded creature.
NOZGÛG, GRUUMSH-BLOODED ORC A web of blackened veins pulse across this this orc’s rippling muscles, his left eye a scarred socket. As he lifts a great spear above his head, he unleashes a piercing war cry.
Nozgûg (Raging)
CR 8
Male Gruumsh-blooded orc barbarian 5/fighter 2 CE Medium humanoid darkvision 60 ft.; Listen +4, Spot +0 Init +5; Senses Senses darkvision Languages Common, Orc 14, touch 9, flat-footed 14; 25% fortification, improved AC 14, AC uncanny dodge (+1 Dex, +4 armor, armor, +1 natural, –2 raging) 84 (7 HD); divine endurance hp 84 hp +11, Ref +2, +2, Will +3 Fort +11, Fort Will +3 30 ft. (6 squares) in hide armor, base speed 40 ft. Speed 30 Speed +16/+11 (1d8+11/ ×3) Melee +1 spear +16/+11 Ranged javelin +8/+3 (1d6+7) Base Atk +7; Grp +14 Atk Options Cleave, Options Cleave, Power Attack, rage 2/day (7 rounds) Special Actions Gruumsh’s Actions Gruumsh’s fury, Gruumsh’s glare Combat Gear potion Gear potion of blur, potion of jump Abilities Str 24, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 6, Wis 10, Cha 8 trap sense +1 SQ trap SQ CleaveB, Improved Initiative, Improved Toughness, Feats Cleave Feats Power AttackB, Weapon Focus (spear) Climb +9, Jump +9, Intimidate +3, Listen + 4, Spot +0, Skills Climb Skills Swim +5 Possessions combat gear plus +1 hide armor of light fortif ication, +1 spear, 6 spear, 6 javelins, amulet of natural armor +1 (shaped like a symbol of Gruumsh) Fortification (Ex) 25% (Ex) 25% chance to ignore the additional damage dealt by a critical hit or sneak attack. This benefit comes from Nozgûg’s armor. Divine Endurance (Su) Nozgûg (Su) Nozgûg can take a free action to gain damage reduction 10/—. He can suppress this ability with another free action. Once the damage reduction has prevented 40 points of damage, Nozgûg loses all benefits of the god-blooded template, including this ability. Gruumsh’s Fury (Su) Once (Su) Once per day, as a swift action, Nozgûg can draw upon the power of t he divine blood within his body to gain a +4 bonus (+8 against elves) on mele e damage rolls for the rest of his turn. Gruumsh’s Glare (Su) Once (Su) Once per day, Nozgûg can cause a baleful, glowing red eye to appear in his empty eye socket. The eye creates a 60-foot cone of red energy. All creatures in this area must succeed on a DC 17 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1 round. Elves take a – 4 penalty on this save. The save DC is Constitution- based. When not raging, Nozgûg has the following changed statistics: AC 16, AC 16, touch 11, flat-footed 16 70 hp 70 hp +9, Will +1 Fort +9, Fort Will +1
Kord-Blooded “Kord-blooded” is an acquired template that can be added to any non-evil living creature that has a Strength score of 16 or higher. Each year, t he major temples to Kord hold a great wrestling tournament, and the tournament’s winner wrestles an aspect of Kord. Whoever pins the other wins. If Kord’s aspect loses, he cuts his palm and drips a drop of blood on the victor’s brow, bestowing t his template. Sometimes Kord bestows this honor on a skil led, relentless competitor that lost the match. A Kord-blooded creature gains a +4 bonus on saves Saves: A Saves: against poison and disease. Special Actions: A Kord-blooded creature gains the following special action. Kord’s Athleticism (Su): Once per day, as a swift act ion, a Kord-blooded creature can call upon t he blood invested in him to gain a tremendous surge of prowess. For the next minute, the Kord-blooded creature gains a +4 bonus on Strength and Dexterity checks, Strength- and Dexterity-based skill checks, and grapple checks. The creature also gains a +1 bonus on damage rolls to which Strength normally applies. Special Qualities: A Kord-blooded creature gains the following special quality. Kord’s Toughness (Su): Whenever a Kord-blooded creature would take Constitution damage, that da mage is halved.
Orcus-Blooded “Orcus-blooded” is an acquired template that can be added to any evil undead creature. The sacrifice of good-aligned creatures totaling 20 or more Hit Dice causes an aspect of Orcus to appear and bathe the petitioner with black, tarry blood poured f rom a golden chalice. The undead creat ure covered in this blood then grows goatlike horns and gains the Orcus-blooded template. The horns disappear when the template is lost. Resist: An Orcus-blooded creature gains +4 turn resistance. Special Qualities: An Orcus-blooded creature gains the following special qualities. Herald of Orcus (Su): An Orcus-blooded creature gains a +1 bonus to the save DCs of necromancy spells it casts, as well as a +1 bonus to the save DCs of its spell-like and supernaturalabilities. Wand of Orcus (Su): Once per day, as a swift action, an Orcus blooded creatu re can summon a minor wand of Orcus. The wand appears in the creature’s hand and lasts for 1 minute. It functions as a +2 morningstar. Once per day, while the wand exists, the Orcus-blooded creature can use it to deliver a melee touch attack. An opponent so touched must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Orcus-blooded creature’s HD + its Cha modifier) or take 4 points of Constitution damage. If that foe fail s the save, the Orcus-blooded creature gains 2 temporary hit poi nts per HD that enemy possesses. These temporary hit points last for 1 hour.
+14/+9 (1d8+8/ × 3) Melee +1 spear +14/+9 Ranged javelin +8/+3 (1d6+5) +12 Grp Abilities Str 20, Con 14 Skills Climb Skills Climb +7, Jump +7, Swim +3 Gruumsh’s Glare (Su) DC 15
Nozgûg is an independent raider covered in glory—a paragon among his people. He had the following ability scores before Hit Dice and racial abil ity score adjustments: Str 15, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 8, Wis 12, Cha 10.
Strategies and Tactics Nozgûg has only two purposes in life—to slay and to pillage. He uses his Gruumsh’s glare ability to par alyze his enemies, then charges in to murder a helpless foe. Gruumsh’s fury he reserves for a worthy enemy or an elf. Wishing to keep his divine talents, he activates his divine endurance only if he thinks he might lose the fight otherwise.
Sample Encounters Becoming god-blooded is invariably a great honor, and god blooded creatures serve as warlords and champions. Sites where creatures can acquire the god-blooded template are protected fiercely. Nozgûg’s Raiders (EL 9): Nozgûg 9): Nozgûg raids accompanied by an orc berserker (MM4 114), an orc war howler (MM4 114), and six orc warriors (MM 203). 203). His warriors provide flanks and sometimes use the aid another action to give Nozgûg more of an advantage. The berserker wades in independently, independently, and the war howler provides support. Nozgûg focuses his attacks on elves, moving to other targets only after all elves are slain. Neversleep Citadel (EL 9+ per encounter): High in the Altan Tepes Mountains, an a ncient order of orc priests watches over a bubbling cauldron filled with blood spilled by Gruu msh. Acco rding to legend, Gru umsh bled on t his spot when Corellon cut t he orc god’s eye from its socket. The clerics a llow orc cha mpions who per form grea t deeds in Gruumsh’s name and can make it to the cauldron to bathe with in, grant ing them a measure of t he god’s power. Nozgûg is one such champion, and the citadel is now his home. The citadel protecti ng the cauldron houses a small army of orc barbarians, fighters, and clerics. Some of these are half-dragons. A young adult red dragon protects the place due to an ancient pact between Gruumsh and Tiamat. This dragon leaves and is replaced by another when it reaches adulthood.
CREATING A GOD-BLOODED CREATURE “God-blooded” is an acquired template that can be added to a creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature) favored by the deity in question, as defined in the specific deity entries.
Vecna-Blooded “Vecna-blooded” is an acquired template that can be added to any evil creature capable of casting 2nd-level 2nd-level or higher arcane spells. When an arcane spellcaster manages to unravel the Seven Riddles of Vecna, that individual can become Vecna blooded. None know the tr ue natur e of these riddles, but solving them sends a caster to a pocket dimension known as the Oubliette of Secrets. There, after exposure to a number of bizarre tortures and ordeals at the hands of a strange creature known as the Anchorite, the caster emerges as a Vecna-blooded Vecna-bl ooded creature. The creature loses all distinguishing characteristics, hair, and other traits, keeping only a small, thin mouth, the faintest trace of a nose, and eyes. These changes are permanent and remain even after the creature loses this template. Some sages sages believe believe that several several Anchorites exist, and that they are the most powerful of Vecna’s servants. They seek out lost secrets and forgotten lore. Several point to the disappearance of Delether of Hardby as the Anchorites’ work. Every page of the books in Delether’s library had been carefully removed and replaced with cured human skin—apparently taken from Delether, judging by the faint remnants of his tattoos found in several of the volumes. Special Actions: A Vecna-blooded creature gains the following special actions. Enigma Aura (Su): Once per day, as a standard action, a Vecna-blooded creature can wrap itself in an aura that makes creatures within 120 feet intermittently forget it’s there. At the start of each affected creature’s turn, that creature has a 50% chance to be unable to attack the Vecna-blooded creature creature in any way, including with spells and special abilities. The aura lasts for 1 minute after it’s activated. Hidden Spell (Su): Once per day, as a swift action, a Vecna blooded creature c an cause flat-foot ed opponents to take a pqqqqq qqqqqq qqqqrs
GOD-BLOODED LORE Characters who have ranks in Knowledge (religion) can learn more about god-blooded creatures. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.
Knowledge (Religion) DC Result 15 God-blooded creatures are divine champions infused with the essence of their deity. The god’s blood within them makes them incredibly durable, but if they are sorely wounded, the god’s power fades from them. 20 This result result reveals reveals one randomly chosen special special action or special quality that the specific template grants. 25 This result result reveals reveals a second, randomly randomly chosen chosen special action or special quality. 30 This result result reveals reveals a third, randomly randomly chosen chosen special action or special quality. pqqqqqqqq qqqqrs qrs
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +1. Special Actions: The Actions: The base creature gains the following special action. Divine Endurance: A god-blooded creature can take a free action to gain damage reduction 10/— from the mingling of divine blood with its material form. The creature can suppress this ability with another free action. Once the damage reduction has prevented prevente d 40 points of damage, the creature loses all benefits of the god-blooded template, including this ability, except when otherwise noted. Other Abilities: All god blooded creatures receive receive other abilities based on the blood they bathe in. See t he deity entries below below.. Level Adjustment: +1.
Gruumsh-Blooded “Gruumsh-blooded” is an acquired template that can be added to any orc. Gruumsh-blooded orcsaretypicallycreated at unholy sites, where clerics of Gruumsh tend iron cauldrons filled
with their god’s bubbling green blood. When an orc bathes i n t he blood, his lef t eye shrivels and falls out, leaving an empty socket.Theeyedoesn’t regrow even if the orc subsequently loses this template. Special Actions: A Gruumsh blooded orc gain s the followi ng specia l actions. Gruumsh’s Glare (Su): Once per day, a Gruumsh-blooded orc can cause a baleful, glowing red eye to appear in his empty eye socket. The eye creates a 60-foot cone of red energy. All creatures in th is area must succeed on Fortitude saves (DC 10 + 1/2 the orc’s HD + his Con modifier) or be paralyzed for 1 round. Elves take a –4 penalty on this save. Gruumsh’s Fury (Su): Once per day, as a swift action, a Gruumsh-blooded Gruumsh-bloode d orc can draw upon the power of the divine blood with in his body to ga in a +4 bonu s (+8 against elves) on damage rolls for the rest of his turn.
–4 penalty on saves against spells the creature casts on that same turn. Special Qualities: A Vecna-blooded creature gains the following special qualities. Cloak of Myster y (Su): All All knowledge of the Vecna-blooded creature fades from the world. Its original name, its deeds before becoming Vecna-blood Vecna-blooded, ed, and so forth, disappear disappear from memory. Only Vecna and the Vecna-blooded creature retain this knowledge. A Vecna-blooded Vecna-blooded creature gains immunity immunity to all divination spells cast against it or cast to learn information about it. Such divination fails to reveal any information. The Vecna blooded creature immediately immediately learns the name, appearance, appearance, and location of the ca ster who attempted the divination. Unlike other god-blooded god-blooded abilities, the Vecna-blooded Vecna-blooded creature retains this special quality after it loses other abilities from this template.
Yeenoghu-Blooded Yeenogh u-Blooded “Yeenoghu-blooded” is an acquired template that can be added to any gnoll. A gnoll champion gains the Yeenoghu-blooded template by killing a fellow gnoll who has t his template and drinking his blood. In this manner, Yeenoghu ensures that his children continually strive to prove themselves against each other and their enemies. Occasionally, when an aspect of Yeenoghu appears before a tribe, the gnolls attack it in a frenzy to become Yeenoghu-blooded. Yeenoghu-blooded. Those who sur vive and devour the aspect’s flesh gain this template. A creature that gains this template becomes shrouded shrouded in noxious, putrid air. Flies and maggots swarm over its body, marking its link to the fearsome Demon Prince of Gnolls. It grows long, yellow fangs, and a mixture of pus and drool spills over its lower lip. Melee: A Yeenoghu-blooded creature gains a secondary bite attack that deals 1d6 points of damage. Special Actions: A Actions: A Yeenoghu-blooded creature gains the following special actions. Rot Fangs (Ex): Once per day, as a swift ac tion, a Yeenoghu blooded creature can imbue its bite with a dreadful necrotic energy. The next time the gnoll hits an opponent with a bite, that foe must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the gnoll’s HD + its Con modifier) or take 1d6 points of Constitution damage. Special Quality: A Quality: A Yeenoghu-blooded creature gains the following special quality. Gore Stench (Su): A Yeenoghu-blooded creature is caked with putrid filth, dried blood, and gore. Maggots crawl through its fur, and a horrific stench and a swarm of flies surround it all times. Living creatures (except for gnolls) within 10 feet of a Yeenoghu-blooded creature must succeed on a Fortitude save (DC 10 + 1/2 the gnoll’s HD + its Con modifier) or be sickened for 1 minute. If a creature successfully saves against this ability, that creature need not save again for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from a sickened creature. Creatures that are i mmune to poison or
Imix-Blooded “Imix-blooded” is an acquired template that can be a dded t o any evil creature. A creatu re gai ns thi s template through service to Imix, Prince of Evil Fire Elementals. Eleme ntals. The creature must perform a great deed in the name of Imix, and then, when the signs and omens are promising, stand in a brass cauldron filled with oil and set it alight. If Imi x is pleased, he appears and squeezes a single drop of his fiery blood into the cauldron, granting the creature this template. Subtype: An Imix blooded creat ure gain s the fire subtype. Special Actions: An Actions: An Imix-blooded creature gains the following special action. Imix’s Wrath (Su): An Imix blooded creature is wreathed in flames that don’t harm its equipment. Once per day, as a swift action, an Imix-bloodedcreature can cause fire to flow from its body over its weapons. All the creat ure’s melee attacks deal an extra 4 points of fire damage until the end of its turn. If an Imix-blooded creature casts a fire spell while affected by this quality, that spell deals an extra number of points of damage equal to the Imix-blooded creature’s caster level. Special Qualities: An Imix-blooded creature gains the following special qualities. Burn (Su): The fires that cloak an Imix-blooded creature lash out to harm those who would dare attack it. Any creature that hits an Imix-blooded foe with a melee attack takes 3 points of fire damage. Death Throes (Su): Imix is quick to reward those who follow him, but h is fiery anger is legendary. When killed, an Imix-blooded creature explodes in a 30-foot-radius burst that d eals f ire da mage to ea ch cre ature or objec t in the area equal to 1d6 × 1/2 the Imix-blooded creature’s Challenge Rating. A successful Reflex save (DC 10 + 1/2 the Imix-blooded creature’s HD + its Cha modifier) halves this damage.
that have a saving t hrow bonus against poison receive those benefits against the stench.
TYPICAL TREASURE TRE ASURE A god-blo oded cre ature usual ly ca rries icons of its fa ith, to mark the favor of the gods and to display its piety. God blooded NPCs have equipment appropr iate to NPCs of their Challenge Rating—slightly more than normal for their level.
CREATING GOD-BLOODED TEMPLATES The example templates g iven in t his ent ry cover some of the entities found in the D&D world. If you wish to add god-blooded creatures to Eberron, Faerûn, or your campaig n setting, use the following guidelines. A god-blooded template should physically alter its recipient in a manner in keeping with the god’s ethos and important physical traits. Powers granted by the template might fu rther change the recipient. In the examples given in this entry, Gruumsh’s single eye, Imix’s fiery body, and Orcus’s horns mark the creature that receives the deity’s blood. Similar traits should be gained f rom templates you create. All god-blooded templates share the divine endurance special quality. This ability reflects a combination of the supernatural protection offered by divine blood. As presented, the template produces a creature that seems incredibly difficult to harm at t he start of an encounter. If the characters persist in attacking, though, they eventually strip away that defense. If you prefer a permanent template, change the damage reduction to 5/magic and remove the limit on the damage it can absorb. The template template should grant two special abilities in addition to divine endurance. You can add a third if that ability has little direct effect on combat. The Vecna-blooded template provides a good example of such an ability with its cloak of mystery. The cloak adds some interesting story elements to the creature, but it has little effect during a fight. The creature’s abilities should be useful regardless of its final Challenge Rating. Abilities that deal a fixed amount of damage are difficult to judge, since that damage doesn’t scale as the creature’s CR increases. Instead of such abilit ies, focus on attacks that require saving throws and impose conditions, since save DCs improve as Hit Dice increase, forcing the PCs to make saving throws appropriate for the creature’s challenge. Keep the duration conditions such as paralyzed, dazed, or stunned short—they take a target out of the fight. Longer durations are fine for dazzled, sickened, and other conditions that impose penalties. Avoid abilities that add static bonuses bonuses to ability ability scores, attacks, or AC, instead choosing abilities that make it apparent to the characters and players that the god-blooded creature is infused with t he power of its deity. The PCs (and the players) should see a clear link between the creature’s altered form, the power it calls upon, and the effects it can create.