Statblock Sunday (Forsaken Frontier): Savithrin the Vortex Dragon

This draconic creature is a pale blur of incredible speed, the glow from its horns leaves tracers in the air as it streaks past.

savithrin Final-Vampire-C

Savithrin     CR 13
XP 25,600
Young adult vortex dragon
LE Huge dragon (augmented, fire)
Init +1 (+6 with anticipate peril); Senses dragon senses, see in darkness; Perception +21
Aura alien presence (150 ft., DC 21)

DEFENSE
AC 34, touch 12, flat-footed 33 (+3 deflection, +1 Dex, +4 mage armor, +18 natural, -2 size)
hp 157 (15d12+60)
Fort +14, Ref +11, Will +13
DR 5/magic; Immune fire, paralysis, sleep; SR 24
Weaknesses vulnerable to cold

OFFENSE
Speed 60 ft., 200 ft. (good)
Melee* bite +18 (2d8+19/19-20), 2 claws +18 (2d6+16/19-20), 2 wings +15 (1d8+12), tail slap +15 (2d6+19) [* includes Power Attack]
Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (15 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks breath weapon (50-ft. cone, 10d8 fire, DC 21), crush
Spell-like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +19)
At will—anticipate peril, entropic shield
2/day—plane shift (DC 19)* [* Salamangka has altered Savithrin considerably, granting him early access to plane shift at the cost of slowing his movement through space. The Vidrefacte’s presence there further changed him, and now when he uses the ability a gyeongsa warp storm appears in his wake.]
Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 5th; concentration +9)
2nd (5/day)—mirror image, resist energy
1st (7/day)—mage armor, magic missile, shield, vanish
0—detect magic, ghost sound, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue (DC 14)

TACTICS
Before Combat Savithrin keeps anticipate peril and mage armor active at all times. When combat is imminent he casts shield, resist energy (cold), mirror image, and entropic shield. Against formidable opponents he uses his wand of stoneskin. If surprised he buys time using vanish to maneuver and raise his defenses.
During Combat In battle Savithrin relishes the crunching of bones between his jaws. He opens with a breath weapon blast on as many opponents as possible, then rushes them beneath his bulk. Once on the ground he delivers full attacks, focused on destroying one foe at a time.
Morale Savithrin flees using his plane shift spell-like ability once reduced to below 30 hp.

STATISTICS
Str 25, Dex 12, Con 19, Int 18, Wis 17, Cha 18
Base Atk +15; CMB +20*; CMD 38 [* CMB includes Power Attack]
Feats Blinding Critical, Critical Focus, Improved Critical (bite, claw), Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite, claw)
Skills Bluff +22, Diplomacy +22, Fly +19, Knowledge (arcana, geography, planes, religion) +22, Perception +21, Sense Motive +21, Use Magic Device +22
Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal
SQ agile, galactic emissary, no breath, starflight
Combat Gear amulet of mighty fists +1, ring of protection +3, wand of stoneskin (CL 7th, 8 charges), 320 gp worth of jewelry and gemstones embedded in Savithrin’s scales
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Dimensional Emissary (Su) Savithrin is immune to any effect that bars extradimensional travel.

Savithrin long ago lost the thrill that soaring amongst the cosmos once created within him. His journeys beyond the stars led him to pierce the veil of the planes, and the outer dragon found much to fascinate him across the layers of the multiverse. Savithrin traversed the planar barriers so often and in so many strange places that the energies of the planes themselves seeped into him and altered his very nature. No longer a creature of void and stars, now he finds slipping between the dimensions as easy to him as beating his wings to soar through the skies—for some time now, his sights have been set on Salamangka.

When he encountered the strange city on the Forsaken Frontier, Savithrin swiftly grew to covet its power. Learning the lay of the land and the forces vying for the artifact of Salamangka, he set to work crafting an enormous army of undead dragons formed from the very remnants of the great Dracoprime, winning over the Shining City in the last Festival of Night. Leahcim’s meddling and the Vidrefacte destroyed all of Savithrin’s thralls a year past and he has been furiously scouring the planes since to gather an undead force of devastating potency. The power of Salamangka will be his, no matter how many must die beneath his fangs.

Apotheosis
Once Savithrin gains control of Salamangka his body is flooded with energy and undergoes several rapid  changes from rituals he painstakingly prepared during his flights across dimensions. First Savithrin grows in power, increasing to the adult age category in seconds, but more importantly his thirst for blood becomes all too literal and he is transformed into a vampire. Savithrin’s stats change as follows:

CR 16; XP 76,800; LE huge undead (augmented dragon, fire); Init +7; Perception +35; Aura alien presence (180 ft., DC 25)
AC 44, touch 15, flat-footed 42; hp 212 (17d8+136); fast healing 5; Fort +12; Ref +10; Will +15; Defensive abilities channel resistance +4; DR 10/magic and silver; Immune undead traits; Resist cold 10, electricity 10; SR 27; Weaknesses vampire weaknesses, vulnerable to cold
Melee bite +20 (2d8+24/19-20 plus energy drain), 2 claws +20 (2d6+19/19-20 plus energy drain), 2 wings +17 (1d8+13 plus energy drain), tail slap +17 (2d6+24 plus energy drain) [Power Attack included]; Special Attacks breath weapon (50 ft. cone, 12d8 DC 25), blood drain, children of the night, create spawn, crush, dominate (DC 25), energy drain (2 levels, DC 25), fragmented strike
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 17th, concentration +24); plane shift (DC 22); Sorcerer Spells Known (CL 7th; concentration +14); 3rd (6/day)—displacement, protection from energy; 2nd (8/day)—mirror image, resist energy, scorching ray; 1st (8/day)—mage armor, magic missile, shield, true strike, vanish; 0—detect magic, ghost sound, message, ray of frost, read magic, resistance, touch of fatigue (DC 17)
Str 33; Dex 16; Con —; Int 22; Wis 21; Cha 24; BAB +12; CMB +22 (adjusted for Power Attack); CMD 42; Feats AlertnessB, Blinding Critical, Combat ReflexesB, Critical Focus, DodgeB, Improved Critical (bite, claw), Lightning ReflexesB, Multiattack, Power Attack, ToughnessB, Weapon Focus (bite, claw); Skills Bluff +35, Diplomacy +27, Fly +23, Intimidate +27, Knowledge (arcana, geography, planes, religion) +26, Perception +35, Sense Motive +33, Spellcraft +26, Stealth +3, Use Magic Device +27 Racial Modifiers +8 Bluff, +8 Perception, +8 Sense Motive, +8 Stealth; Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Auran, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal; SQ agile, change shape (dire bat or wolf, beast shape II), galactic emissary, gaseous form, no breath, shadowless, spider climb, starflight

skeletal_champion__malcolm_mcclinton

A nearly skeletal knight encased in blackened armor patched together from numerous others. Unholy flames wreath its lance and gleam in its sunken eyes.

Boris Balescu     CR 10
XP 9,600
Human graveknight fighter 9
LE Medium undead (augmented humanoid)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +19
Aura sacrilegious aura (30 ft., DC 19)

DEFENSE
AC 32, touch 14, flat-footed 28 (+10 armor, +3 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural, +4 shield)
hp 130 (9d10+81)
Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +7
Defensive Abilities bravery +2, channel resistance +4, rejuvenation; DR 10/magic; Immune cold, electricity, fire, undead traits; SR 21

OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft.
Melee* +1 lance +19/+14 (1d8+20 plus 2d6 fire/19-20 x3) or adamantine longsword +17/+12 (1d8+17 plus 2d6 fire/19-20) [* includes Power Attack]
Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with lance)
Special Attacks channel destruction, devastating blast 3/day (30-ft. cone, 6d6 fire, Reflex DC 19 halves), undead mastery (DC 19), weapon training (spears +2, heavy blades +1)

TACTICS
Before Combat Boris is rarely without his phantom steed renews the summons every hour.
During Combat Boris’ main tactic is to charge every round to maximize his Power Attack, Ride-By Attack, and Spirited Charge feats. His phantom steed has a speed of 80 ft., and Boris deals 3d8+60 plus 2d6 fire damage on a successful charge attack with his +1 lance. If his steed is slain, Boris utilizes his devastating blast to incinerate as many opponents as possible and shifts to fighting with his adamantine longsword and shield.
Morale If reduced to less than 30 hp, Boris attempts to flee and warn Savithrin of the grave threat. This is born of his strong sense of duty rather than self-preservation, as Boris knows he will rejuvenate unless his armor is completely destroyed.

STATISTICS
Str 24, Dex 16, Con —, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 20
Base Atk +9; CMB +13*; CMD 30 [* includes Power Attack]
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Greater Weapon Focus (lance), Improved Critical (lance), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-By Attack, Shield Focus, Spirited Charge, Toughness, Weapon Focus (lance), Weapon Specialization (lance)
Skills Intimidate +25, Perception +19, Profession (soldier) +14, Ride +20, Swim +16; Racial Modifiers +8 Intimidate, +8 Perception, +8 Ride
Languages Common, Draconic, Infernal
SQ armor training 2, phantom mount, ruinous revivification
Combat Gear +1 lance, +1 full plate, +1 heavy steel shield, belt of giant strength +2, headband of alluring charisma +2, adamantine longsword, ancient crown worth 265 gp

Boris Balescu was once a fearsome warlord on another Material Plane; when he was slain in combat, his soul departed to a plane of eternal battle. Centuries of unending war passed and it wasn’t until the vortex dragon Savithrin arrived through a great tear in the sky that Boris woke from his blood-soaked reverie. Even as he perished in the dragon’s flame, it was a new birth for the lord—his spirit’s thirst for battle wouldn’t be quenched, and Savithrin plied a forbidden ritual to bond Boris’ soul to his blackened armor, raising him as a graveknight. The newly undead warrior immediately pledged his service to the dragon’s cause, and he has not regretted his decision.

 

Savithrin’s forces are gathered from across the planes of the multiverse. His most formidable troops are graveknight clerics, the Sinister. These creatures all deracinate their left hands in a show of grizzly devotion to the vortex dragon, binding their shields to the stump. The hands, in turn, are given unlife of their own and become the Left-Hand Legion. Finally, Savithrin scoured the planes for warriors of the correct spiritual temperament and sheared their very shadows. These undead shades wield black daggers with blades all too real—they are truly the Nighted Blades.

LEFT HAND LEGION CR ½
NE Huge army of crawling hands
hp 18; ACR 4
DV 16; OM +4
Tactics relentless brutality
Special bleed, climb, darkvision, grab, undead
Speed 2; Consumption 2
Commander: Savithrin; Charisma Modifier +4 [+7 after apotheosis]; Profession (soldier) 0 ranks


NIGHTED BLADES
CR 3
CE Large army of shadows
hp 22; ACR 5
DV 17; OM +5
Tactics dirty fighters, expert flankers
Special bleed, darkvision, flight, incorporeal, undead
Speed 2; Consumption 2
Commander: Savithrin; Charisma Modifier +4 [+7 after apotheosis]; Profession (soldier) 0 ranks
Note: +1 OM against any unit without mobility advantage

THE SINISTER CR 5
LE Medium army of human graveknights (cleric 4)
hp 22; ACR 5
DV 20 (30); OM +8 (ranged)
Tactics cavalry experts, sniper support
Special breath weapon, channel negative energy, darkvision, mount, significant defense, spellcasting, undead
Speed 2; Consumption 2
Commander: Boris Balescu; Charisma Modifier +5; Profession (soldier) 9 ranks

FourHorsemen-logo-rough-01[Submitted by Dan Dillon!]

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