Monsters (HLC)

__TOC__
==Monsters==
An AD&D campaign is not complete without hordes of monsters to battle.
No other foe is as useful for giving player characters violent and implacable foes whose savage and often alien natures make their complete and utter defeat a necessity. Monstrous foes are good for keeping characters guessing about exactly what they're up against, and monsters come pre-equipped with arrays of natural weaponry that the PCs cannot carry off with them after a battle.
High-level characters can easily defeat most standard monsters, because the monsters usually have been designed with weaker characters in mind. The Planning Combats section in this chapter and the notes on getting the most out of a foe in Chapter 1 can help make sure PCs treat monsters with respect, but even the cleverest planning can come to nothing if the characters can obliterate every enemy as soon as blows and spells are exchanged in an encounter.
A high-level campaign shouldn't be so overrun with super monsters that low-level characters and commoners have no chance to survive, but sometimes it is helpful to give the monsters a party meets a little bit of an edge. Perhaps you have introduced an unexplored continent or plane where life is hard and everything is a little tougher than usual. Or perhaps you simply need bigger, nastier version of a standard monster to lead a band of lesser creatures.
There might also be times when you wish to introduce a monster that is a little weaker than a typical specimen. Just how nasty are the baby bulettes in that nest (and how much of a fight can they put up before mom arrives)? The sections below offer a few methods for doing so without going to the drawing board and inventing a host of brand new creatures.
==Ability Scores for Monsters==
Another way to modify standard monsters is to assign ability scores to them. This method is more time consuming than applying a simple modifier to make the monster bigger or stronger, but it allows for greater variety. Generating ability scores for a monster also makes it possible for the creature to undertake actions during an encounter that might require an ability check, and it makes opposed checks between monsters and characters possible. (How likely is that fighter to win a tug-o-war with a giant toad?) The system presented here is intended for use with nonhumanoid creatures (humanoids are best treated as characters, see The Complete Book of Humanoids for extensive examples), but it can be used with any creature in a pinch. Start by noting the Size and Intelligence ratings from the creature's description. These two ratings determine the range of ability scores the creature can have (see Tables 6–11).
To generate an ability score, roll 3d6 on the appropriate table and read the result from the applicable column. For example, a rust monster is a man-sized creature with animal Intelligence. To generate a Strength score for a rust monster, roll 3d6 on Table 5 and read the result from the M column; a roll of 10 yields a Strength score of 12. To generate the rust monster's Intelligence score, roll 3d6 on Table 8 and read the result from the A column; a roll of 18 yields an Intelligence score of 4—an Einstein among rust monsters. The creature gains all the bonuses and penalties associated with its actual ability score as listed in the Player's Handbook. The notes below contain additional information.
When you have finished generating the creature's ability scores, it might be necessary to recalculate its XP value according to the rules in the Dungeon Master Guide, Chapter 8. For example, a creature with high Constitution score probably has greater than average hit points and should have a higher XP value than its less robust cousins.
==Strength==
Except as noted, all modifiers apply to creatures in the same way they do for characters. Creatures gain the warrior combat bonuses for high scores.
Damage Adjustment: The bonus or penalty applies to the creature's natural attacks. If the creature rolls multiple dice to determine damage, the bonus or penalty applies to the total, not to each die.
Weight Allowance: Add 35 pounds to a creature's weight allowance if it is large, 70 pounds if it is huge, and 105 pounds if it is gargantuan. If published rules list a carrying capacity for a creature, use either the listed capacity or the modified weight allowance from the creature's Strength score, whichever is higher.
Open Doors: Size L and larger creatures can use this ability to batter down or smash holes in simple wooden walls.
Bend Bars/Lift Gates: A creature that can bring its full bulk to bear on an object gains the following bonuses by size category: S or M, 0; L, +5%; H, +10%; and G, +20%. Exceptionally sturdy objects built to handle heavy loads or restrain large creatures negate the bonus. For example, a griffon would get the bonus when straining against a normal rope but not when pulling against a rope made to anchor a ship.
 Table 6: Monster Strength Scores
Score	T 	S 	M 	L 	H 	G
3 	2 	4 	6 	13 	15 	18
4 	3 	5 	7 	14 	17 	18/01
5 	4 	6 	8 	15 	18 	18/51
6 	5 	7 	9 	16 	18/01	18/76
7 	6 	8 	10	17 	18/51	18/91
8 	7 	9 	11	18 	18/76	18/00
9-12 	8 	10	12	18/01	18/91	19
13 	10	11	13	18/51	18/00	20
14 	11	12	14	18/76	19 	21
15 	12	13	15	18/91	20 	22
16 	13	14	16	18/00	21 	23
17 	14	15	17	19 	22 	24
18 	15	16	18	20 	23 	25
: Abbreviations: T= Tiny (2' or less); S= Small (2-4'); M= Man-sized (4-7'); L= Large (7-12'); H= Huge (12-25'); G= Gargantuan (25'+)
==Dexterity==
All modifiers apply to creatures in the same way they apply to characters, except that a creature's Reaction Adjustment also increases its movement rate. For example, a griffon with a Dexterity score of 16 has a movement rate of 13, Fl 31.
 Table 7: Monster Dexterity Scores
Score	T 	S 	M 	L 	H 	G
3 	13	11	9 	7 	5 	3
4 	14	12	10	8 	6 	4
5 	15	13	11	9 	7 	5
6 	16	14	12	10	8 	6
7 	17	15	13	11	9 	7
8 	18	16	14	12	10	8
9-12 	19	17	15	13	11	9
13 	20	18	16	14	12	10
14 	21	19	17	15	13	11
15 	22	20	18	16	14	12
16 	23	21	19	17	15	13
17 	24	22	20	18	16	14
18 	25	23	21	19	17	15
: Abbreviations: T= Tiny (2' or less); S= Small (2-4'); M= Man-sized (4-7'); L= Large (7-12'); H= Huge (12-25'); G= Gargantuan (25'+)
==Constitution==
All modifiers apply to creatures in the same way they do for characters. Monsters gain hit point bonuses for high scores as a warrior.
 Table 8: Monster Constitution Scores
Score	T 	S 	M 	L 	H 	G
3 	3 	5 	7 	9 	11	13
4 	4 	6 	8 	10	12	14
5 	5 	7 	9 	11	13	15
6 	6 	8 	10	12	14	16
7 	7 	9 	11	13	15	17
8 	8 	10	12	14	16	18
9-12 	9 	11	13	15	17	19
13 	10	12	14	16	18	20
14 	11	13	15	17	19	21
15 	12	14	16	18	20	22
16 	13	15	17	19	21	23
17 	14	16	18	20	22	24
18 	15	17	19	21	23	25
: Abbreviations: T= Tiny (2' or less); S= Small (2-4'); M= Man-sized (4-7'); L= Large (7-12'); H= Huge (12-25'); G= Gargantuan (25'+)
==Intelligence==
Creatures that are normally unable to speak do not gain that ability simply by virtue of a high Intelligence score. Any creature with a score at least three points higher than the normal value for its race can understand one or more languages. For example, a horse with an Intelligence score of 4 might know the common tongue and be able to give limited responses in the form of hoof taps, whinnies, and shakes of its head. Other than this limitation, Intelligence functions for creatures in the same way it does for characters.
 Table 9: Monster Intelligence Scores
Roll	A	S	L	Av	V 	H 	E 	G 	Sg	Go
3 	1	1	3	6 	7 	9 	10	13	15	17
4 	1	1	3	7 	7 	10	11	14	16	18
5 	1	1	4	7 	8 	11	13	15	17	19
6 	1	1	4	8 	8 	11	13	16	17	19
7 	1	2	5	8 	9 	12	14	16	18	20
8 	1	2	5	9 	9 	12	14	17	18	20
9-12	1	3	6	9 	11	13	15	17	19	21
13 	1	3	6	10	11	13	15	18	19	21
14 	2	4	7	10	12	14	16	19	20	22
15 	2	4	7	11	12	15	17	20	21	22
16 	3	5	8	11	13	16	18	21	22	23
17 	3	5	8	12	14	17	19	22	23	24
18 	4	6	9	13	15	19	20	23	24	25
: Abbreviations: A= Animal Intelligence; S= Semi Intelligent; Av= Average Intelligence; V= Very Intelligent; H= Highly Intelligent; E= Exceptionally Intelligent; G= Genius Intelligence; Sg= Supra-genius Intelligence; Go= Godlike Intelligence
==Wisdom==
All modifiers apply to creatures in the same way they do for characters.
 Table 10: Monster Wisdom Scores
Score	A	S	L	Av	V 	H 	E 	G 	Sg	Go
3 	1	2	3	6 	8 	10	12	14	16	18
4 	1	2	3	6 	8 	10	12	14	16	18
5 	1	2	4	7 	9 	11	13	15	17	19
6 	2	3	4	7 	9 	11	13	15	17	19
7 	2	3	5	8 	10	12	14	16	18	20
8 	2	3	5	8 	10	12	14	16	18	20
9-12 	3	4	6	9 	11	13	15	17	19	21
13 	3	4	6	9 	11	13	15	17	19	21
14 	3	4	7	10	12	14	16	18	20	22
15 	4	5	7	10	12	14	16	18	20	22
16 	4	5	8	11	13	15	17	19	21	23
17 	4	5	8	11	13	16	18	20	22	24
18 	5	6	9	12	14	17	19	21	23	25
Abbreviations: A= Animal Intelligence; S= Semi Intelligent; Av= Average Intelligence; V= Very Intelligent; H= Highly Intelligent; E= Exceptionally Intelligent; G= Genius Intelligence; Sg= Supra-genius Intelligence; Go= Godlike Intelligence
==Charisma==
Reaction and loyalty adjustments apply only to creatures who are able to communicate with each other in meaningful ways. Otherwise, Charisma functions for creatures in the same way it does for characters.
 Table 11: Monster Charisma Scores
Score	A	S	L	Av	V 	H 	E 	G 	Sg	Go
3 	1	1	3	6 	8 	11	13	15	17	19
4 	1	1	3	6 	8 	11	13	15	17	19
5 	1	1	4	7 	9 	12	14	16	18	20
6 	1	1	4	7 	9 	12	14	16	18	20
7 	1	2	5	8 	10	13	15	17	19	21
8 	1	2	5	8 	10	13	15	17	19	21
9-12 	1	3	6	9 	11	14	16	18	20	22
13 	1	3	6	9 	11	14	16	18	20	22
14 	1	4	7	10	12	15	17	19	21	23
15 	2	4	7	10	12	15	17	19	21	23
16 	2	5	8	11	13	16	18	20	22	24
17 	3	5	8	11	13	16	18	20	22	24
18 	3	6	9	12	14	17	19	21	23	25
Abbreviations: A= Animal Intelligence; S= Semi Intelligent; Av= Average Intelligence; V= Very Intelligent; H= Highly Intelligent; E= Exceptionally Intelligent; G= Genius Intelligence; Sg= Supra-genius Intelligence; Go= Godlike Intelligence
==The Armor Class Modifier==
is subtracted from the creature's base armor class. This modifier is in addition to any Dexterity bonus.
==The Hit Die Modifier==
is added to the monster's hit dice. The creature gains all the benefits of the increased hit dice, including reduced THAC0, better saving throws, and more hit points. If the monster is normally given a fixed hit point total, add five hit points per additional hit die.
The number after the slash is for monsters that have hit points divided between different areas of their bodies, such as hydras and beholders. Multiply each area's hit points by the number. For example, an elder hydra's heads would have 20 hit points each (8 [hp for each head] x 2.5 [elder multiplier] = 20).
==Legendary Monsters==
Just like high-level heroes, some monsters have progressed in power to the point where they are the most fearsome of their kind. Legendary monsters are not just large or strong specimens, but instead they are a superior strain of their race. The rules that follow are designed for non-humanoid monsters and can also be combined with the Ability Scores for Monsters section.
A legendary monster has the same movement rate, number of attacks, damage per attack, morale rating, and special abilities as its normal counterpart. The creature has increased Hit Dice, an improved Armor Class, and some additional powers that the DM assigns. Table 12 details typical Hit Dice and Armor Class variances. When creating a legendary monster, don't forget to recalculate the creature's experience point value.
 Table 12: Legendary Monsters
Rank 	AC Mod.	HD Mod.
Lesser Scion	–4 	+5/1.5
Scion 	–6 	+10/2
Elder 	–8 	+15/2.5
Great Elder 	–10 	+20/3
Paragon 	–12 	+25/3.5
: The Armor Class Modifier is subtracted from the creature's base armor class. This modifier is in addition to any Dexterity bonus.
: The Hit Die Modifier is added to the monster's hit dice. The creature gains all the benefits of the increased hit dice, including reduced THAC0, better saving throws, and more hit points. If the monster is normally given a fixed hit point total, add five hit points per additional hit die.
: The number after the slash is for monsters that have hit points divided between different areas of their bodies, such as hydras and beholders. Multiply each area's hit points by the number. For example, an elder hydra's heads would have 20 hit points each (8 [hp for each head] x 2.5 [elder multiplier] = 20).
==Rank==
is simply a convenient way to categorize and assign powers to legendary monsters. Tables 12–22 use the following terms to identify the various types of legendary monsters.
Lesser Scion: The creature is slightly more powerful than normal members of its race. It comes from an exceptional bloodline, but the line has become diluted over the generations. There can be anywhere from several hundred to several thousand lesser scions of a given race on a world, depending on the races' overall population. Lesser scions have two or three powers from Tables 13–22. When generating ability scores for lesser scions, roll 3d4+4.
Scion: The monster is superior to normal members of its race. There are only a few hundred to perhaps a thousand scions of a given race on a world. Scions have three or four powers from Tables 13–22. When generating ability scores for scions, roll 2d6+6.
Elder: The creature is considerably more powerful than normal members of its race. It comes from an exceptional bloodline, barely diluted by time. There are not more than a few hundred Elders of any race on a world. Elders have three to five powers fromTables 13–22. When generating ability scores for Elders, roll 1d10+8.
Great Elder: The creature is vastly more powerful than normal members of its race. It comes from an exceptional and undiluted bloodline or is an outstanding member of an elder bloodline. There are not more than several dozen great elders of a given race on a world. Great elders have four to six powers from Tables 13–22. When generating ability scores for elders, roll 1d10+8.
Paragon: The creature represents the pinnacle of its race's strength and vitality. It is an extraordinary member of an elder bloodline, or perhaps the progenitor of its entire race. There are not more than and a handful of paragons of a given race on a world, and a paragon often is a unique creature. Paragons have five to seven powers from Tables 13–22. When generating ability scores for paragons, roll 1d8+10.
==Powers==
A few extra Hit Dice and an Armor Class bonus are not enough to make a legend. This section contains suggestions for the extraordinary powers that legendary creatures possess; feel free to create more.
Not all powers are the same. Just like a dragon's fear radius is based on its age, the potency of a legendary monster's power is based upon its overall rank. For example, the lethality of an elder's breath weapon is noticeably different than that of a lesser scion.
===Breath Weapon===
The creature has a breath attack it can use three to five times each day. Typically, the creature must wait one or two rounds between breaths. The creature can move normally during a round when it breathes, but it cannot make melee attacks, cast a spell, or use a spell-like power.
The breath weapon can take any form the DM desires: a cloud of scalding steam, cone of searing flame, gout of acid, petrifying mist, and so on. A quick look through the Monstrous Manual and the various Monstrous Compendiums™ should provide plenty of ideas. Basic statistics for breath weapons are provided below.
If the creature already has a breath weapon, use the values for the next higher rank instead. If the creature is a paragon, its breath weapon uses the paragon dimensions from Table 13 and the breath weapon inflicts an average of 4.5 points of damage per hit die of the creature. For example, a paragon dragon turtle has 39 hit dice and has a breath weapon that inflicts an average of 175 points of damage. For all damage-causing breath weapons, a successful saving throw versus breath weapon reduces damage by half.
 Table 13: Breath Weapons
Rank 	Damage1	Save Mod.2
Lesser Scion	26–35 	–2
Scion 	36–45 	–3
Elder 	46–55 	–4
Great Elder 	56–65 	–5
Paragon 	66–75 	–6
: 1 The numbers indicate the average damage inflicted. Any number of dice or combination of dice and a modifier that produces an average that falls within the listed range is acceptable. For example, a scion might have a breath weapon that inflicts 10d8 points of damage (average 45) or 10d6+10 points of damage. See below for average results from commonly used dice.
: 2 Saving Throw Modifier: This is used only for breath weapons that do not inflict damage. For example, a gorgon's petrifying breath.
 Averages
Die Type	Average Result
1d4 	2.5
1d6 	3.5
1d8 	4.5
1d10 	5.5
1d12 	6.5
1d20 	10.5
 Breath Weapon Sizes
Rank 	Cloud	Cone	Line
Lesser Scion	30' 	40' 	60'
Scion 	40' 	55' 	80'
Elder 	50' 	70' 	100'
Great Elder 	60' 	85' 	120'
Paragon 	70' 	100'	140'
: Cloud: The effect is 50' wide, 40' tall, and 30–70' long.
: Cone: The effect is 5' in diameter at the creature's mouth, 30' in diameter at its apex, and 40–100' long.
: Line: The effect is 5' wide, 5' tall, and from 60–140' long.
===Cause Disease===
Even a scratch from a legendary monster can infect a character with a fatal malady. Each time a monster with this power makes a successful physical attack, secretly roll 1d100. If the result is equal to or less than the damage inflicted during the attack, the opponent contracts a disease. If the creature strikes an opponent multiple times in a single round, check for disease only once and use the total damage inflicted for the check. For example, if a creature strikes an opponent twice for 17 points of damage with the first hit and 21 points of damage with the second blow, the opponent contracts a disease on a roll of 38 or less.
 Table 14: Disease
Rank 	Onset1 	Fatality2
Lesser Scion	1d4 Weeks 	2d4 Months
Scion 	1d4 Days 	2d6 Weeks
Elder 	1d4 Hours 	2d6 Days
Great Elder 	1d4 Turns 	2d4 Hours
Paragon 	1d4 Rounds	1d4 Turns
: 1 This is the amount of time that passes before the first symptoms appear. Until then, the victim feels fine. If a victim has been infected multiple times during an encounter, roll an onset time for each infection and use the shortest one. Multiple infections of the same disease have no other effect.
: 2 This is the amount of time before the victim finally succumbs to the disease. The victim has no chance to recover on his own and dies if not cured.
===Disease Effects===
In addition to just feeling rotten—and facing death if not cured—the victim also suffers one to four of the following effects. Other effects are possible.
Ability Score Reduction: One or all of the character's ability scores are reduced by one to five points.
Blindness: The victim's vision blurs or the characters eyes swell shut. The character cannot cast spells or use missile weapons, and he suffers the standard penalties for blindness when moving or engaged in melee. A cure blindness spell has no effect,
Chills: The character shivers uncontrollably for 2d4 rounds. During this time, the character cannot move, attack, or cast spells. All saving throws and ability checks suffer a –4 penalty. The chills recur from time to time; roll again on the onset column to see how soon.
Delirium: The victim's head spins with weird visions and confused thoughts. The character acts as though afflicted by a confusion spell. Once each turn, the victim can snap out of the delirium by rolling a 9 or less on 1d20. The victim's hit point adjustment (from Constitution/Health) applies as a bonus or penalty to the roll. Non-warrior characters with Constitution scores of 17 or higher can claim the warrior hit point adjustment for purposes of this roll.
Fever: The character must rest in bed. If forced into action, the character's stamina is severely tested and he must roll a 9 or less on 1d20 each hour to stay conscious. The character's hit probability adjustment applies as a bonus or penalty to the roll. If the character has a Stamina statistic, use that score to determine the character's adjustment to the roll, otherwise use Strength. If the roll fails, the character suffers delirium (as above) for 2d4 rounds and then falls into a stupor for 2d4 hours.
Paralyzation: The character loses the use of one appendage or becomes totally immobile.
Slow healing: The character cannot benefit from healing spells and heals naturally at 10% of the normal rate.
===Cause Fear===
A legendary monster with this power sends creatures with less than 4+1 hit dice and characters of 4th level or less fleeing in panic on sight if the creature is attacking or charging. Panicked creatures flee for 2d4 turns, as though affected by the 4th-level wizard spell fear.
More powerful characters are affected only if they are within the creature's fear radius, and then only if the creature consciously employs its fear power. Opponents who do not automatically flee are allowed a saving throw vs. spell to avoid the effect, but there is usually a penalty to the roll.
 Table 15: Fear Effects
Rank 	Radius	Saving Throw Mod.
Lesser Scion	30' 	0
Scion 	35' 	–1
Elder 	40' 	–2
Great Elder 	45' 	–3
Paragon 	50' 	–4
===Crush===
Some legendary monsters can use their strength and body mass to literally grind opponents underfoot. To make a crush attack, a creature expends its full movement allowance for the round, taking no other actions. However, if the creature is flying or jumping down from a height of 30 feet or more, the creature can make a crush attack at the end of its movement.
Opponents larger than the attacker cannot be crushed. When a monster makes a crushing attack, it makes one attack roll for every creature within the area of effect. An unsuccessful attack roll inflicts no damage. Any creature within the radius must save vs. death if it is at least one size smaller than the attacker, even if the creature suffered no damage from the crush attack. If the defender is two sizes smaller than the attacker, the save is made at –4, three sizes smaller warrants a –8 adjustment, and so on. If the save fails, the opponent is knocked down and can take no actions until he can stand up again.
If the overrun rule from the Player's Option: Combat & Tactics book is in play, a crushing attack does not provoke an attack of opportunity, and creatures who are knocked down after a crush attack can be trampled if they are smaller than the attacker. Creatures with the crush power can perform overruns, but not during rounds when they make crush attacks. Note that unlike crush attacks, overruns can be used only against creatures smaller than the attacker.
 Table 16: Crush Attacks
Rank 	Radius	Damage
Lesser Scion	10' 	3d8
Scion 	15' 	4d8
Elder 	20' 	5d8
Great Elder 	25' 	6d8
Paragon 	30' 	7d8
===Wounding===
Attacks from creatures with this power inflict damage that cannot be healed by regeneration, first aid, or by any magical means (short of a wish, 10th level healing spell, or a periapt of wound closure). Wounds caused by more powerful legendary monsters bleed freely, inflicting additional damage each round until the wound is bound or a healing spell is applied. Healing spells used in this manner don't restore any lost hit points, they just prevent additional bleeding damage.
 Table 17: Wounding Effects
Rank 	Damage*
Lesser Scion	0
Scion 	1/Round
Elder 	1d4/Round
Great Elder 	1d8/Round
Paragon 	2d6/Round
: * This is the amount of additional damage the opponent suffers each round after suffering the wound. If the attacks inflicts several wounds, each one bleeds and causes additional damage.
===Innate Magic===
A legendary monster can have minor, major, or extraordinary spell-like abilities, as defined on page 49. The higher the creature's rank, the more often it can use its abilities.
===Invulnerability (Physical)===
Not every weapon can harm a legendary monster. This power can work in several different ways:
Weapon Type: The creature suffers no damage from a single type of weapon (bludgeoning, piercing, or slashing).
Normal Weapon: The creature suffers no damage from ordinary weapons and is harmed only by weapons made from a special material (silver, cold-wrought iron, stone, wood, etc.).
Nonmagical Weapon: The creature can be harmed only by enchanted weapons. Lesser scions with this power usually can be harmed by +1 or better weapons. Scions and elders are harmed by +2 or better weapons, and great elders and paragons by +3 or better weapons.
===Invulnerability (Elemental)===
The creature is immune to attacks based on one of the four elements: air, earth, fire, or water.
===Invulnerability (Magical)===
The creature is immune to specific magical effects or classes of magical effects, such as charms, cold, holds, aging, energy drains, etc. Most legendary creatures have this power.
 Table 18: Enhanced Melee Damage
Rank 	Damage Bonus1 	Size2
Lesser Scion	+1/die 	—
Scion 	+2/die 	+20%
Elder 	+3/die 	+30%
Great Elder 	+3/die +1 die 	+40%
Paragon 	+3/die +2 dice	+50%
: 1 The creature receives the listed bonus per die of damage inflicted in addition to any bonus it receives from a high Strength score. Great elders and paragons receive extra dice in addition to the bonus per die. For example, a great elder chimera's attacks inflict 2d3+6/2d3+6/2d4+6/2d4+6/3d4+9/ 4d4+12.
: 2 The creature derives part of its damage bonus from increased size. The creature's size increases by the listed amount (round fractions up), which might place it in a larger size class. For example, a great elder chimera is seven feet tall at the shoulder with a corresponding longer body that probably makes it a huge creature.
===Enhanced Movement===
Some legendary monsters are faster than their lesser cousins. Some also might have special modes of movement such as blinking, leaping, or climbing. Bonuses are given on Table 19.
 Table 19: Enhanced Movement
Rank 	Bonus*
Lesser Scion	+20%
Scion 	+30%
Elder 	+40%
Great Elder 	+50%
Paragon 	+60%
: * The creature's normal movement increases by the listed amount (round fractions up). For example, a scion displacer beast has a movement rate of 20 (15 [base] + 4.5 [30% of 15] = 19.5).
The bonus also helps define any unusual movement powers the creature gains. For example, a scion displacer beast with the ability to leap would make leaps of 50 feet.
===Gaze Weapon===
A legendary monster with a gaze attack can affect an opponent simply by making eye contact. A gaze attack requires no special effort, and the creature can freely combine it with other attacks or abilities.
The gaze attack can have any effect the DM desires: instant death (save vs. death to avoid), stoning (save vs. petrification to avoid), charm (save vs. spell to avoid), and so on. As with breath weapons, a quick look through descriptions of existing monsters should provide plenty of ideas.
If the creature already has a gaze weapon, use the next highest ranking; if the creature is a paragon, the penalty is –8. Adjustments are detailed on Table 20.
 Table 20: Gaze Weapons
Rank 	Bonus*
Lesser Scion	–2
Scion 	–3
Elder 	–4
Great Elder 	–5
Paragon 	–6
: * Saving Throw Modifier: Opponents suffer the listed penalty when trying to avoid the gaze.
===Magic Resistance===
Most spells fail when used against a legendary monster with this power. The creature's resistance can be continuous or conditional. For example, a creature might be resistant to spells only while the moon is full or for a short time after it eats a certain food. Similarly, a creature's resistance might be ineffective against a certain class of spells or ineffective against opponents who have found a specific item or performed a special task.
 Table 21: Magic Resistance
Rank 	Resistance
Lesser Scion	60%
Scion 	70%
Elder 	80%
Great Elder 	90%
Paragon 	100%
===Regeneration===
A scion or lesser scion with this power eventually regenerates any damage it suffers unless attacked with fire, acid, or magical wounding, such as a sword of wounding or a legendary monster's wounding power (damage from the subsequent bleeding can be regenerated, however). If the creature is killed by a disintegrate or death magic spell it cannot regenerate back to life. Nor can it regenerate back to life if killed by an attack that does not allow regeneration. If killed by normal attacks, a scion or lesser scion cannot regenerate back to life if its remains are destroyed by fire, acid, disintegration, or a 10th-level destroy spell at double difficulty (see page 123).
An elder or great elder can regenerate almost any form of damage if it survives the attack that inflicted the damage. These monsters cannot regenerate damage from a wounding effect, but they can heal themselves of the bleeding damage associated with such attacks. Once killed, an elder or great elder can be prevented from regenerating by destroying their remains as noted previously.
A paragon's regeneration power is all but unstoppable—the creature can regenerate any type of damage. If completely disintegrated or slain outright by death magic, the creature returns to life after the amount of time required to regenerate 20 hit points and keeps right on regenerating until it reaches full hit points. The only way to permanently kill the creature is to reduce it to –20 hit points and use a wish or a 10th-level destroy spell at triple difficulty. The DM also might decide that some exotic process (see page 91) or special weapon can also kill the creature permanently. For example, a paragon gorgon might be killed permanently if a noble genie eats its heart or if the killing blow is delivered with an ancient king's sword.
 Table 22: Regeneration Rates
Rank 	Regeneration Rate1
Lesser Scion	1/Round2
Scion 	1/Round
Elder 	2/Round
Great Elder 	3/Round
Paragon 	4/Round
: 1 The number before the slash is the number of hit points the creature regains each melee round.
: 2 No hit points are regained until three rounds after the creature is first wounded.
==A Sample Legendary Monster==
An elder gorgon might have the following statistics (without adjustments for ability scores):
===Elder Gorgon===
AC –5; MV 17 (enhanced movement power); HD 23; hp 105; THAC0
–3; #AT 3; Dmg 2d6+6/2d6+6 (enhanced melee damage power); SA petrification breath; SD immune to blunt weapons, effected only by magical weapons of +2 or better (physical invulnerability power, twice), immune to earth-based attacks, including petrification (magical invulnerability power); MR 80%; SZ H (10' tall at the shoulder); ML average (10); Int animal (1); AL N; XP 24,000.
Notes: SA—Four times per day, the elder gorgon can breath a cone of petrification 85' long, 5' in diameter at the base, and 30' in diameter at the far end. All creatures within the area of effect are turned to stone unless they make a successful saving throw versus petrification at –5 (breath weapon at great elder rank).