Demonhive (Demonet Swarm, Demonhive Attendant, and Demonhive Queen)

[oslecamo]

Demonet Swarm

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Table: Demonet Swarm				HD: d8
Level 1 2	Base Attack Bonus +0 +1	Fort Save +2 +3	Ref Save +2 +3	Will Save +0 +0	Special Demonet Bodies, Will of the Demonhive, Swarm Attack, Distraction, -2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con Demonhive Mind, Demonhive Agent, Demonic Drone, +1 Dex, +1 Con

Skill Points: (2 + Int. Mod.) x4 at 1st level. Class Skills: Escape Artist, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, and Spot.

Proficiencies: A Demonet Swarm has no proficiencies

Class Features:

Demonet Bodies: At 1st level, the Demonet Swarm loses all other racial bonus and gets outsider traits (Darkvision 60ft), plus the Swarm Subtype. The Demonet Swarm is actually composed of hundreds of tiny creatures that act as one, forming a collective hivemind, with a base speed of 20 feet and a fly speed of 40 feet with good maneuverability. They can however just fly 5 feet above ground until they reach 2 HD, upon which they can fly freely.

Unlike a normal swarm of tiny creatures, the Demonet Swarm just fills a 5-feet square at first level, as it's composed of newborn sluggish demonets that stick to each other. At 2nd level it expans to filling a cube with side 10 feet.

Will of the Demonhive: A Demonet Swarm legion of minds work as one, allowing it to speak with the combined sound of a hundred tiny voices. It cannot perform careful manipulation, but it can grab and carry objects by coordinating it's multiple bodies as long as it's within its carrying load.

In addition, the Demonet swarm can count itself as a single creature for purposes of receiving beneficial spells from others.

This also allows an Demonet Swarm to fully benefit from  magic items by equipping them on one of it's members. Of course, the item needs to be custom crafted for tiny size, meaning it costs double, but cannot be targeted by opponents as the Demonet equipped with it is always covered by hundreds of its brethren. A Demonet swarm can also drink and receive the benefits of a potion by sharing it between all its members.

Swarm Attack: A Demonet swarm basic attack deals 1d6 damage, plus an extra 1d6 damage for each two other HD of the Demonet swarm. If the Demonet swarm gains means of performing extra attacks, like enough Bab or Haste, it can deal Swarm damage one more time for each extra attack in a single turn if it full attacks. Any effect that would boost a natural attack boost the Swarm Attack.

Distraction: Any living creature that begins its turn with a Demonet swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 10+1/2HD+Con mod Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round.

Ability Modifiers: A Demonet swarm gains -2 Str, +2 Dex, +2 Con at first level. In addition it gains an extra +1 to
Dex and Con at 2nd level, for a total of -2 Str, +3 Dex, +3 Con.

Demonhive Mind: All demonhive members within 2 miles of a demonhive queen are in constant communication. If one is ware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in an ecounter is not flat-footed, one of them are. No demonhive member in an encounter is considered flanked unless all of them are.

Demonhive Agent: At 2nd level the Demonet Swarm gains the [Evil] subtype and its Swarm attack count as Evil. It also becomes immune to Sonic damage.

Demonic Drone: At 2nd level as a swift action the Demonet Swarm can inflict a -2 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, ability checks and saving throws on all creatures within 60 feet from itself. This is a sonic mind-affecting effect. If the Demonet Swarm has 13 or more HD the penalty increases to -4 and even creatures normally immune can be affected, but they only take the -2 penalty. Other demonhive members are always immune to this effect. A creature that spends at least 24 hours of a friendly Demonet swarm also becomes immune to the Demonic Drone of that particular Demonet swarm.

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I promised I would do a swarm next and here it is.

Two levels, not much else to say, gotta go now, may do the other two demonhives next if this proves popular enough.

Meanwhile if you want to play a cluster of demonic flies, the demonet swarm is for you!

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Table: Demonhive Attendant				HD: d8
Level 1 2	Base Attack Bonus +1 +2	Fort Save +2 +3	Ref Save +2 +3	Will Save +2 +3	Special Demonhive Attendant, Frenzied Haste, Hive Forager, +2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Cha Demonhive Mind, Demonhive Agent, Fly, +1 Dex, +1 Con

Skill Points: (2 + Int. Mod.) x4 at 1st level. Class Skills: Climb, Escape Artist, Jump, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, Spot and Survival.

Proficiencies: A Demonhive Attendant is proficient with its natural weapons only.

Class Features:

Attendant Body: At 1st level, the Demonhive Attendant loses all other racial bonus and gets outsider traits (Darkvision 60ft). The Demonhive Attendant is a small outsider with base speed 40 feet, 2 claw natural attacks dealing 1d4+1/2 Str mod damage each, and a Bite natural attack dealing 1d4+1,5 Str mod damage.

It also gains a bonus to Natural armor equal to its Con mod.

Frenzied Haste: Whenever  its queen takes any damage, the Demonhive Attendant gains a +1 haste bonus to attack rolls and damage rolls for the next round and can make one extra claw attack at its highest attack bonus on a full attack, or attack with both claws as a standard action (the queen taking damage multiple times over the same round doesn's stack). This bonus increases by an extra +1 at 3 HD and every 3 HD thereafter. If its queen is reduced to -1 HP, or less, then double the Haste bonus and it lasts until the end of the encounter, but the Demhive Attendant is fatigued for 10 minutes when it ends.

A Demonhive Attendant whose original queen has died can pick a new female creature to serve as its new queen with a 8 hour bonding ritual.

Hive Forager: The Demonhive Attendant can adds its Dex mod as a racial bonus to Survival and Spot checks, and always counts as having full ranks in Survival and Spot.

Ability Modifiers: A Demonet swarm gains  +2 Dex, +2 Con, -2 Cha at first level. In addition it gains an extra +1 to Dex and Con at 2nd level, for a total of  +3 Dex, +3 Con, -2 Cha.

Demonhive Mind: All demonhive members within 2 miles of a demonhive queen are in constant communication. If one is ware of a particular danger, they all are. If one in an ecounter is not flat-footed, one of them are. No demonhive member in an encounter is considered flanked unless all of them are.

Demonhive Agent: At 2nd level the Demonet Swarm gains the [Evil] subtype and its natural attack count as Evil. It also becomes immune to Sonic damage.

Fly: At 2nd level the Demonhive Attendant gains a Fly speed of 40 feet with good maneuverability.

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The males of the Demonhive, that do all the hard work of gathering food and whatnot. Don't hurt their momma. They'll get pretty angry.

Two levels so pretty simple, added the option of having a non-demonhive queen to expand player options.

So if you want to play a demonic insect drone, the Demonhive Attendant's for you!

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Prerequisites:
-Must have both levels of Demonet Swarm.
-Must eat all of its “sisters” from the same group in a 8 hour feast.

Table: Demonhive Queen				HD: d8
Level 1 2 3 4	Base Attack Bonus +1 +2 +3 +4	Fort Save +2 +3 +3 +4	Ref Save +0 +0 +1 +1	Will Save +2 +3 +3 +4	Special Demonhive Queen Body, Demonic Spawn, +4 Str, +4 Con,  -2 Dex Demonic Maturation, Growth+1 Str, +1 Con, -1 Dex Maternal Scream, Growth +1 Str, +1 Con, -1 Dex Healthy Spawn+1 Str, +1 Con, -1 Dex

Skill Points: (2 + Int. Mod.) x4 at 1st level. Class Skills: Climb, Escape Artist, Jump, Hide, Intimidate, Listen, Move Silently, Spot and Survival.

Proficiencies: A Demonhive Queen is proficient with its natural weapons only

Class Features:

Demonhive Queen Body: At 1st level, the Demonhive Queen loses the swarm subtype, including its Distraction, Swarm Attack and Demonic Drone abilities, and becomes a small sized outsider with base speed 20 feet after having engorged itself on its sisters. It still has its wings, but they're too weak to lift her bloated body anymore. It gains a Bite natural attack dealing 1d8+1,5 Str mod damage.

Demonic Spawn: By consuming the body of a small sized or bigger creature, the Demonhive Queen can give birth to a 1st level Demonet Swarm or Demonhive Attendant with Elite Array of stats that serves it faithfully. It can only control up to four such offspring at a time for now. If it tries to spawn more, the excess leave to find a place to start a new demonhive.

Ability Score Increase: The Demonhive Queen gains +4 Str, +4 Con, and -2 Dex at first level, and then +1 Str, +1 Con, -1 Dex at every other level, for a total of +7 Str, +7 Con and  -5 Dex at 4th level.

Growth: At 2nd and 3rd level the Demonhive Queen grows a size category. It gains an extra +1 Natural armor in each such growth.

Demonic Maturation: At 2nd level the Demonhive Queen can spawn 2nd level Demonet Swarms and Demonhive Attendants.

Maternal Scream: At 3rd level the first time each round one of its demonet swarm is dispersed or destroyed, the Demonhive Queen can let out a terrible screech as an immediate action. If all her demonet swarms have died in this battle, the demonhive queen can scream once per round as a free action for the rest of the encounter. This effect deals 3d6 points of sonic damage to all creatures within 60 feet and deafens them. Creatures in the area can attempt a DC 10+1/2 HD+Con mod Fortitude Save to take half damage are not deafened. This damage increases by an extra 1d6 and the range increases by 10 feet at 8 HD and evey 2 HD thereafter. She can choose to affect a smaller radius than her maximum with this ability.

Healthy Spawn: At 4th level the Demonhive Attendants and Demonet Swarms within 60 feet under the Queen's control gain a profane bonus to attack rolls, AC, damage rolls, saves, skill checks and ability checks equal to her Con mod. In addition the Demonhive Queen can gestate new spawn with just 1 hour as long as there's enough food, and can control an extra one at 9 HD and every 3 HD thereafter.

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Seems like the queen grows up from one member of a daemonet swarm, so decided to go with it. From tiny hornet to giant maggot!

The Queen is actually pretty boring by itself, slow, one single attack, and then an Aoe triggered on another condition. So decided to make it a minion specialist, turning corpses into attendants and swarms, then buffing them. Also added Deafness to the Aoe.

So if you want to play a demonic insect mommy, the Demonhive Queen's for you!

[Raineh Daze]

This also allows an Demonet Swarm to fully benefit from  magic items by equipping them on one of it's members. Of course, the item needs to be custom crafted for tiny size, meaning it costs double, but cannot be targeted by opponents as the hellwasp equipped with it is always covered by hundreds of its brethren. A Demonet swarm can also drink and receive the benefits of a potion by sharing it between all its members.

This isn't a hellwasp.

[ketaro]

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOMG I WANTED A DEMONHIVE AND I GOT A DEMONHIVE

These lil' buddies are like my favorite swarms ever~
Needs a queen D:
Oh it'd be sweet to play with a queen PC. But moreso I'm going to be using these in my own game. Its pretty Hellpocalypse-y and it was so much fun when I threw literally hundreds of mobs that are a full Demonhive at a party of 3rd-4th level characters and having them barely win by the skin of their teeth (and with a player kamikaze-ing himself on the queen to win it with a bag full of grenades)

These are already lookin' like a great and better base to more easily pump up for a higher level party to bring about a new challenge with an old enemy :3

[DavidWL]

Very cool.

Based on the link, it looks like it gains immunity to weapon damage at 1st level.  I think I'd make that 1/2 damage, which then later on promotes to immunity at a later level ...

Best,
David

[ketaro]

Very cool.

Based on the link, it looks like it gains immunity to weapon damage at 1st level.  I think I'd make that 1/2 damage, which then later on promotes to immunity at a later level ...

Best,
David

Nah, how weapons effect swarms is based on the swarm's size. This has the demonet swarm as Tiny sized and Tiny sized swarms are only 1/2 damage from slashing and piercing weapons (full damage with bludgeoning).
It is Diminutive sized swarms that are immune to weapon damage.

[oslecamo]

Added Queen and Attendant to the first post.

[Rakoa]

I like both of the new additions quite a bit. The Attendant is particularly intriguing to me. Is it intended that the Queen's screech affect her fellow party members, including her swarms and attendants?

EDIT: Would it be considered a viable strategy for the Queen to inflict minimal damage upon herself in a round to trigger the abilities of the Attendant?

[ketaro]

A Demonhive Attendant whose original queen has died can pick a new female creature to serve as its new queen with a 8 hour bonding ritual.

This line is a  very interesting way to attach Attendants to non-Demonhive Queens. Like, opening them up as possible animal companions or cohorts or stuff like that.

Edit: Totally missed the Comments spoiler saying that was the intent 

[oslecamo]

I like both of the new additions quite a bit. The Attendant is particularly intriguing to me. Is it intended that the Queen's screech affect her fellow party members, including her swarms and attendants?

The swarms, attendants and queen are all immune to sonic damage. Added clause for the queen to be able to reduce max radius if she feels like don't turning other allies into food for her children.

EDIT: Would it be considered a viable strategy for the Queen to inflict minimal damage upon herself in a round to trigger the abilities of the Attendant?

The bonus isn't that big, and you'll need at least a standard action to hurt yourself, so I could see situatons where it's viable (the queen has nothing else to do this round because she's slow and has no ranged attacks), but not any where it's OP. Also it makes sense for evil creatures to go all emo and slice their wrists for power and stuff.

[ketaro]

The bonus isn't that big, and you'll need at least a standard action to hurt yourself, so I could see situatons where it's viable (the queen has nothing else to do this round because she's slow and has no ranged attacks), but not any where it's OP. Also it makes sense for evil creatures to go all emo and slice their wrists for power and stuff.

She bleeds beeeeeeeeeees!!