[Dungeon Fantasy] My attempt at a "standard demonic footsoldier" template

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

I have no idea how Varyon figures a 62-point character could kill one one-on-one.

Mostly, because I overlooked that it has DR 5, which Novice Delvers are going to struggle with overcoming.

[Anthony]

Not sure why it has any of doesn't breathe, doesn't eat or drink, or doesn't sleep. Sure, it could have any of those things, but I don't feel like it needs to be on the base template.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

That said, using Samar as a baseline may have been a mistake, as arguably there are characters who don't specialize in demons who make better demon-slayers than the alleged specialist. And I do like the idea of adding Terror—it lets the holy warrior shine when they pass the Fright Check and the knight doesn't. Maybe make it hearing-based to represent a blood-curdling battle cry? Add a few points in skills and it double as 187-point Ally.

Sir Yvor Gryffyn is probably better at killing one of these than Samar. He fails the Fright Check on a roll of 14, just as everyone does. He has higher weapon skill, even after Samar's Higher Purpose, and does more damage, even after Higher Purpose.

[Michael Thayne]

Originally Posted by Anthony

Not sure why it has any of doesn't breathe, doesn't eat or drink, or doesn't sleep. Sure, it could have any of those things, but I don't feel like it needs to be on the base template.

This traits are extremely common for demons in Dungeon Fantasy, to the point that Dungeon Fantasy Monsters 5 introduced a meta-trait that covers all three of them (plus Immunity to Metabolic Hazards). Every single sample monster in that book has that meta-trait, except the Demon Stallion which is explicitly noted to be a corrupted animal rather than from Hell.

Originally Posted by johndallman

Sir Yvor Gryffyn is probably better at killing one of these than Samar. He fails the Fright Check on a roll of 14, just as everyone does. He has higher weapon skill, even after Samar's Higher Purpose, and does more damage, even after Higher Purpose.

Now I feel mildly silly for forgetting Fearlessness is on the Knight template (and that Combat Reflexes gives +2 to Fright checks). Comparison of Samar's and Sir Yvor's stats is really kind of hammering home that for Holy Warriors to make sense it really helps to have demons with obscure weaknesses so all those IQ-based skills are useful. Supernatural Durability is pretty great for that but hard to fit into a creature intended to pull double-duty as an Ally. Hmmm.

[Michael Thayne]

Here's the "demonic footsoldier" concept overhauled as a none-too-bright maul-wielding brute. I do think it's sorely in need of an interesting unique weakness though. What would be an appropriate point value for Divine Curse (Holy water acts as acid)?

Attributes: ST 16 [60]; DX 13 [60]; IQ -1 [-20]; HT 13 [30].
Secondary Characteristics: Dmg 2d-1/3d+2; Will 13 [20]; Per +1 [5]; Basic Speed 7.00 [10]
Advantages: Combat Reflexes [15]; Demonic Sustenance [80]; DR 5 [25]; Hard to Subdue 3 [6]; High Pain Threshold [10]; Night Vision 5 [5]; Sharp Claws [5]; Sharp Teeth [1]; Striking ST 4 [20]; Weapon Master (Maul) [20].
Disadvantages: Appearance (Monstrous) [-20]; Bloodlust (12) [-10]; Bully (12) [-10]; Fragile (Unnatural) [-50]; Low TL 3 [-15]; Sadism (12) [-15]; Selfish (12) [-5]; Social Stigma (Demon) [-20]; Wealth (Poor) [-15].
Skills: Brawling (E) DX+1 [2]-14; Climbing (A) DX-1 [1]-12; Hidden Lore (Demons) (A) IQ-1 [1]-8; Hiking (A) HT-1 [1]-11; Intimidation (A) Will-1 [1]-9; Stealth (A) DX-1 [1]-12; Throwing Art (H) DX+1 [8]-14; Two-Handed Axe/Mace (A) DX+7 [28]-20; Wrestling (A) DX+1 [4]-14.
Features: Vestigial Horns and Tail [0].

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

Here's the "demonic footsoldier" concept overhauled as a none-too-bright maul-wielding brute.

Yeah, I can see that guy potentially giving even Veteran Delvers ([250+]) some trouble. He does have the weakness of needing to Dodge while reReadying his maul, which a good fighter will be able to capitalize on... provided they avoid getting clobbered by the first attack (mauls are sufficiently heavy to potentially break anything 4 lb or less in weight, so swashbucklers and the like may have to either risk their weapon or similarly rely on Dodge to avoid hits), anyway.

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

I do think it's sorely in need of an interesting unique weakness though. What would be an appropriate point value for Divine Curse (Holy water acts as acid)?

Weakness (1d/min, Reduced Time 6 +120%) deals 1d each second of exposure. Now, that is a good deal more than acid - DF1 has an acid flask deal 1d-3 corr, for example. You could either go with the idea that demons are actually more susceptible to holy water than to acid, or you could take off a level or so of Reduced Time to decrease the damage. 1d-3 corr would average around 1.5 HP Injury (corr deals a minimum of 1, so that's 1+1+1+1+2+3/6). That's around 1d every 2.33 minutes. Reduced Time 5 would be 1d per 2 seconds, while Reduced Time 4 would be 1d per 4 seconds - I'd go with Reduced Time 5 here, for +100% (if you treat corr as having a minimum of 0, the average is 1 HP, or 1d every 3.5 minutes, in which case I'd go with Reduced Time 4 for +80%). You may also want to consider Variable -40%, so that a light splash of Holy Water deals less damage while total immersion deals more (just as you'd expect with acid). Call it Divine Curse (Holy Water acts like Acid) rather than Weakness if you prefer - this also helps justify it ablating away the demon's natural DR, which Weakness normally wouldn't do (but honestly isn't worth a Enhancement, IMO).

[Michael Thayne]

Originally Posted by Varyon

Weakness (1d/min, Reduced Time 6 +120%) deals 1d each second of exposure. Now, that is a good deal more than acid - DF1 has an acid flask deal 1d-3 corr, for example. You could either go with the idea that demons are actually more susceptible to holy water than to acid, or you could take off a level or so of Reduced Time to decrease the damage. 1d-3 corr would average around 1.5 HP Injury (corr deals a minimum of 1, so that's 1+1+1+1+2+3/6). That's around 1d every 2.33 minutes. Reduced Time 5 would be 1d per 2 seconds, while Reduced Time 4 would be 1d per 4 seconds - I'd go with Reduced Time 5 here, for +100% (if you treat corr as having a minimum of 0, the average is 1 HP, or 1d every 3.5 minutes, in which case I'd go with Reduced Time 4 for +80%). You may also want to consider Variable -40%, so that a light splash of Holy Water deals less damage while total immersion deals more (just as you'd expect with acid). Call it Divine Curse (Holy Water acts like Acid) rather than Weakness if you prefer - this also helps justify it ablating away the demon's natural DR, which Weakness normally wouldn't do (but honestly isn't worth a Enhancement, IMO).

Horror canonically makes holy water an "occasional" weakness, worth -20 points—which makes sense given how easy to acquire Holy Water is. Reduced Time 5 + Variable gives a net modifier of about +60%, theoretically making the modified disadvantage worth -32 points, which might be rounded off to -30. If we're aiming for a 250-point Ally that frees up some points for higher Basic Speed or Enhanced Dodge.

[johndallman]

Originally Posted by Michael Thayne

Here's the "demonic footsoldier" concept overhauled as a none-too-bright maul-wielding brute.

He's actually easier for delvers to take out without Terror, which had a chance of getting rid of the annoying fighters. Someone with a shield will not be very worried by the maul attack, but they will take out one of its arms at the first opportunity to stop it being used.

[Varyon]

Originally Posted by johndallman

He's actually easier for delvers to take out without Terror, which had a chance of getting rid of the annoying fighters. Someone with a shield will not be very worried by the maul attack, but they will take out one of its arms at the first opportunity to stop it being used.

Terror [30] is only likely to be useful if used before combat actually starts - if the demon sneaks up on the party, or the two blunder into each other unexpectedly. Don't forget, you get a +5 to Fright Checks if you're in combat, which means at the [30] level anyone with effective Will 8 or higher will be at or above the cap of 13, with a ~84% chance to resist. More points in Terror can potentially make it more useful as a combat ability, but at [10] per -1 to Will, that can be rather pricy.

[Anthony]

The best way to make the 'know weakness' skills on the holy warrior useful is by giving demons random traits that can be determined with an appropriate hidden lore or physiology check, but not by going "this is a demon just like all the other demons we've fought".