G Is for Gröd the Gorilla
Gröd the Gorilla transformed from a common jungle ape into an evil, intelligent beast after exposure to the eldritch energies of a glowing hunk of starmetal that fell from the heavens. Those same energies unlocked wild psionic powers from the beast’s mind. With its newfound abilities, it took the name Gröd and began a terrible career as an evil adventurer. That was years ago. Since that fateful day, Gröd has grown in power and influence. He now rules a savage band of greenskin orcs augmented by a motley assortment of ogres and girallons. From his treetop fortresses, Gröd lives the life of a warlord, exacting tribute from those who travel through his domain as well as waging skirmishes against nearby rivals.
Gröd’s personality mixes a sort of superficial sophistication with bouts of intense savagery. He affects an informed taste for finery and higher cultural pursuits, but isn’t above eating a slain enemy uncooked, tearing flesh and snapping bones to suck marrow. Gröd evinces an irrational hatred of adventurers who move faster than he does.
Design Notes: Gröd was built by applying the awaken spell to a normal Pathfinder gorilla, but with the Strength score increased to a more appropriately gorilla-like level. I then adjusted the gorilla’s CR to 4 before adding 8 levels of wilder, counting those levels as a non-key class. This bumped Gröd’s CR to 8. The additional +1 CR results from giving Gröd equipment equal to that of an 8th-level PC instead of a 8th-level NPC. All psionic abilities, skills, feats, and equipment come from Psionics Unleashed by Dreamscarred Press. I highly recommend this book if you like both psionics and Pathfinder. You can check out its OGC at this link.
Gröd the Gorilla
Awakened Gorilla Warrior Wilder 8
CR 9; XP 6,400
NE Large magical beast (augmented animal, psionic)
Init +3; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 23, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+6 armor, +3 Dex, +2 dodge, +3 natural, -1 size)
hp 121 (5d8+15 plus 8d8+24 plus 13 Toughness plus 8 Psionic Body)
Fort +11, Ref +9, Will +10
Defensive Abilities elude attack +2
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., climb 30 ft.
Melee 2 slams +17 (1d6+8 plus 1d6 electricity), or
Ranged +1 teleporting javelin +12 (1d8+9, range increment 30 ft.)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Psionic Powers Known (68 pp/day, ML 8th; concentration +11, +15 defensively):
4th – empathic feedback (Will DC 18)
3rd – body adjustment
2nd – mental disruption (Will DC 16)
1st – energy ray, force screen
STATISTICS
Str 26, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 16 (14)
Base Atk +9; CMB +18; CMD 31
Feats Combat Manifestation, Great Fortitude, Mental Leap, Psionic Body, Psionic Meditation, Skill Focus (Perception), Skill Focus (Stealth), Toughness (B)
Skills Acrobatics +18 (+22 jumping), Autohypnosis +14, Climb +23, Intimidate +14, Knowledge (psionics) +13, Perception +14, Spellcraft +13, Stealth +9, Swim +15, Use Magic Device +14; Racial Modifier +8 Climb; Armor Check Penalty -1
Languages Common, Giant, Orc
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Hardened Body (Ex): Gröd’s deep and intense connection to his body means that when his mind surges with power, his body grows more powerful. Gröd gains 5 temporary hit points whenever he gain the benefits of surging euphoria. These temporary hit points last for the duration of Gröd’s surging euphoria.
Psychic Enervation (Ex): Pushing himself by invoking a wild surge is dangerous. Immediately following each wild surge, Gröd may be overcome by the strain of his effort. The chance of suffering psychic enervation is 15%. When overcome by psychic enervation, Gröd is staggered until the end of his next turn and loses a number of hit points equal to his normal manifester level (the increase in manifester level from his wild surge does not increase the number of hit points lost). Gröd may expend his psionic focus as a free action when he would suffer psychic enervation to convert this damage into power point loss, although he is still staggered as normal.
Surge Blast (Su): Gröd can channel his wild surge into a blast of uncontrolled phrenic energy. As a standard action and by expending psionic focus, Gröd can make a ranged touch attack (range 30 feet) that deals 3d6 points of force damage.
Surging Euphoria (Ex): When Gröd uses his wild surge ability, he gains a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saving throws for 3 rounds. If Gröd is overcome by psychic enervation following his wild surge, he does not gain the morale bonus for this use of his wild surge ability.
Wild Surge (Su): Gröd can let his passion and emotion rise to the surface in a wild surge when he manifests a power. During a wild surge, Gröd gains phenomenal psionic strength, but may harm himself by the reckless use of his power (see psychic enervation).
Gröd can choose to invoke a wild surge whenever he manifests a power. When he does so, he gains +3 to his manifester level with that manifestation of the power. The manifester level boost gives him the ability to augment his powers to a higher degree than he otherwise could; however, he pays no extra power point for this wild surge. Instead, the additional 3 power points that would normally be required to augment the power is effectively supplied by the wild surge.
Level-dependent power effects are also improved, depending on the power Gröd manifests with his wild surge. This improvement in manifester level does not grant any other benefits outside of the manifestation (he gains no higher-level class abilities, for instance).
Gröd can expend his psionic focus to manifest a psionic power without expending any power points, powering the manifestation with only his wild surge. He manifests this power as if all power points were paid by his wild surge ability. This results in the power being manifested as if the base power point cost of the power was paid, along with augmentation equal to his wild surge amount, but he may not augment the power beyond the amount of his wild surge, and when checking for psychic enervation, the chance to be overcome doubles to 30%. Gröd must wait 10 minutes after wild surging in this fashion before he can do so again.
EQUIPMENT
+2 chain shirt of landing, +1 teleporting javelin, bracers of mighty shocking fists (as an amulet of mighty fists but occupying the wrist slot), headband of alluring charisma +2, potion of displacement, potion of greater magic fang +2, psionatrix of telepathy, ring of forcefangs, plus 2,550 gp of other stuff, some of which should be spent for various magical scrolls for use via Use Magic Device
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