[This is why I needed a break. The hordlings are the single highest word count entry in the Codex so far, with sixteen random appearance tables and a table for special attacks and qualities. I also got somewhat distracted during this conversion. I had three versions I was drawing reference from--the original 1e version in Monster Manual II, the 3.5 conversion in Dungeon Magazine, and my own 3.5 conversion from my high school years. In going back over the MMII, I realized how many 1e monsters are relatively obscure. So I’m going to be converting some of those. Like, maybe 50 or so when I’m all said and done.
Also, I’d love to see what some of y’all make with randomly generated hordlings. Feel free to use this post as a generator.
Edit: In the interests of saving peoples’ dashboards, I’ve moved all of the random tables behind the cut. There’s a lot of them.]
Hordling
CR 5 CE Outsider (extraplanar)
This humanoid horror has a motley combination of mismatched traits.
In the distant past, the daemons infected the Abyss with mortal souls, creating the demons in the process. Perhaps the hordlings are the Abyss’ revenge. Whenever a chaotic outsider dies in Abaddon, parts of its essence merge with that plane, creating a vector point that spawns hordlings—sometimes merely a single one, sometimes hundreds. Some daemons view them as pests, and seek to exterminate hordlings and purge vectors of their chaotic influence. Others see hordlings as useful, expendable minions, and press them into service. Although hordlings are immune to charm or compulsion magic, they respond well to promises of murder and treasure, and value their own hides enough to be cowed by threats.
No two hordlings look identical, but all are vicious killers. They fight amongst themselves frequently for dominance, but are more than eager to turn their violence on other creatures. No matter their shape or size, all hordlings are surprisingly stealthy, and if they sense a possible victim coming, they seek to set up an ambush. A hordling’s abilities dictate its combat style, but they are generally melee combatants. Once combat is joined, most hordlings fight to the death.
There are many types of variant hordlings. The simplest variations can be made by using the degenerate, young, giant or advanced simple templates to make larger or smaller, stronger or weaker hordlings. But hordlings with additional Hit Dice are not unknown. A hordling has one hordling ability for every 2 HD it has, and has SR equal to its CR +11. A hordling with 11 or more HD has DR 10/lawful, and one with 16 or more HD has DR 15/lawful.
Hordling Appearance
No two hordlings look alike, and the following tables can be used to customize the appearance of a hordling. None of these appearances have any mechanical effect, except where noted. Feel free to add, change or delete options as you desire. See below the cut for hordling traits both with and without mechanical affects, and for base hordling stats
Legs
1—long, thin
2—short, bowed
3—multi-jointed
4—tripod (+2 CMD vs. trip)
5—centaur-like (+4 CMD vs. trip)
6—no legs; slug or snake-like (cannot be tripped)
Body coloration
1—dark and muted
2—pale
3—garish, clashing
4—counter-shading
5—stripes or spots
6—transparent skin
Skin covering
1—chitin-covered
2—rough and scaly
3—furred
4—feathered
5—slimy and dripping
6—warty
Hordling Traits
All hordlings have multiple monstrous traits—the default has three traits, but many more are possible. Roll on the following table. Duplicate rolls do not stack with each other and should be rerolled, unless the trait has an asterisk next to it
1—additional arm*
2—all-around vision
3—amphibious
4—armored*
5—barbed defense
6—breath weapon
7—clutching grasp
8— elite ability*
9— enhanced senses
10— energy resistance*
11— fortification
12— functional wings
13—gore attack
14— quick footed
15— rapid healer
16— reach attack*
17—rending claws
18—sonic aura
19—spit
20—tripping tail
Additional Arm (Ex) The hordling has one additional arm, and gains an additional claw attack
All-Around Vision (Ex) The hordling has eyes on the back of its head or scattered around its body. It cannot be flanked and gains a +4 racial bonus to Perception checks
Amphibious (Ex) The hordling gains the ability to breathe water and a swim speed equal to its land speed
Armored (Ex) The hordling gains an additional +3 natural armor bonus
Barbed Defense (Ex) Any creature striking the hordling with a natural weapon, touch spell, unarmed strike or manufactured melee weapon takes piercing damage equal to 1d4+ the hordling’s Strength modifier. Weapons with the reach property do not endanger their wielders in this way.
Breath Weapon (Su) Once every 1d4 rounds, the hordling can breathe a cone of gas in a 15 foot cone. Creatures in the area must succeed a Fortitude save (Con based DC) or be nauseated for 1 round and take 1d6 points of Strength damage. On a successful save, they are sickened for 1 round and take no Strength damage. This is a poison effect.
Clutching Grasp (Ex) The hordling gains the grab and constrict special attacks for its claws. Its constrict deals the same damage as its claws plus 1.5 times the hordling’s Strength modifier
Elite Ability (Ex) The hordling gains a +4 bonus to one of its ability scores (chosen randomly)
Enhanced Senses (Ex) The hordling gains blindsense 30 ft.
Energy Resistance (Ex) The hordling gains resistance 10 to acid, cold, electricity, fire or sonic damage (selected randomly). This ability can be selected five times, once for each type of energy.
Fortification (Ex) The hordling has a 50% chance to treat any critical hit or sneak attack as a normal hit
Functional Wings (Ex) The hordling gains a fly speed equal to twice its land speed, with average maneuverability.
Gaze (Su) The hordling gains a gaze attack with the following traits; range 10 ft., Will negates (Cha based DC), stun for 1 round. This is a mind-influencing effect.
Gore Attack (Ex) The hordling gains a gore attack as a primary natural weapon that deals normal damage for its size.
Quick Footed (Ex) The hordling gains a +10 foot bonus to its move speed
Rapid Healer (Ex) The hordling gains fast healing 5
Reach Attack (Ex) The hordling’s reach increases by +5 ft. for one of its natural weapons. This ability can be selected once per natural weapon the hordling has.
Rending Claws (Ex) The hordling gains the rend special attack, dealing additional damage equal to its normal claw damage plus 1.5x Str bonus when it hits with both claws
Sonic Aura (Su) The hordling emits a 10 foot radius aura that causes all creatures within it to succeed a concentration check (DC 20+ spell level) to cast a spell. Any creature in the aura must succeed a Will save (Cha based DC) or be frightened for 1d4+1 rounds. A creature that succeeds this save is immune to the fear effect, but must still concentrate in the aura. This is a sonic, mind-influencing fear effect.
Spit (Ex) The hordling can spit as a standard action. Treat this as a ranged touch attack with a range of 60 feet and no range increment. On a successful hit, it deals 1d6 points of acid, cold, electricity or fire damage (select randomly) per 3 HD.
Tripping Tail (Ex) The hordling gains a tail attack as a secondary natural weapon that deals normal damage for a tail slap of its size. It also gains the trip special attack with this natural weapon.
Sample Hordling CR 5
XP 1,600
CE Medium outsider (chaos, evil, extraplanar)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., Perception +7
Defense
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 51 (6d10+18); fast healing 5
Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +5
DR 5/lawful; Immune mind-influencing abilities; SR 16
Offense
Speed 40 ft.
Melee 2 claws +10 (1d6+3), bite +10 (1d6+3)
Special Attacks gaze, swarmfighting
Statistics
Str 16, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 7, Wis 11, Cha 13
Base Atk +6; CMB +8; CMD 20Feats Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (claw)
Skills Acrobatics +10 (+14 when jumping), Climb +10, Intimidate +8, Perception +7, Stealth +17, Swim +10; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth
Languages Abyssal
SQ hordling traits (gaze, quick feet, rapid healing)
Ecology
Environment any land or underground (Abaddon)
Organization solitary, pair, band (3-12) or horde (13-48)
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Gaze (Su) range 10 ft., Will DC 14 negates, stun for 1 round. This is a mind-influencing effect, and the save DC is Charisma based.
Hordling Traits (Ex/Su) All hordlings have a variety of different, monstrous traits. The basic hordling has three traits, rolled on the table above.
Swarmfighting (Ex) Two hordlings of the same size can fit in the same square without penalty. If they both attack the same opponent, they are treated as if they were flanking that opponent.
