Agathion -- Psionic Monster profile

The Agathion is NOT a classic monster. It is right there opposite the Aboleth at the beginning of the 1e MM2, bit it never made an impression on me, I think probably because it has no illustration.

Reviewing it now with more mature eyes, I see pure role-playing gold. Especially if you are running a psionic campaign, the Agathion is a must-have.

The Agathion has no picture, because it can take any form, even an object. They are basically manifestations of spirit beings who come for the specific purpose of combating some great evil.

I would explain them as stars, who look down upon the earth night after night, observing and seeing, finally putting on an earthly form to take action in some intrigue they have been observing from on high.

The natural form of these living "star creatures" is described as elf-like, with "opalescent, luminous" skin and shining eyes. Your players would only see this form if it was astrally traveling. Otherwise it will appear as follows:

Human form - 60%

Roll randomly to determine appearance.

Clerical spells per day (equal to 7th level cleric with 18 WIS): 1st level - 5, 2nd level - 5, 3th level - 3, 4th level - 2

Creature form - 30%

Attacks and spell powers of the form chosen (such as unicorn, lammasu, shedu, etc.).

Turns undead as 14th level cleric.

Object form - 10%

A ring, talisman, flask, vase, key, etc... Bestows on possessor:

1st level cleric spell ability, detect evil at will, turn undead as 6th level cleric

HD 7+7 (save as 14th level cleric)

attacks: as form, by weapon, or energy touch of 7-14 points

INT: Very to genius (11-18)

Magic resistance: 35% (+1 to hit), immune to level drain, death spells, disintegration, and negative energy attacks

Psionic ability: 177

attacks/defenses: all/all

Psionic powers (14th level):

clairaudience, clairvoyance, object reading, suspend animation, aura alteration, dimension walk, mind bar, telempathic projection

Other powers:

at will:

Etherealness

Astral Travel

detect evil

Telepathy (any language)

Astral Searchers & the perils of astral travel - hidden gem of the Fiend Folio

Astral Searchers are one of the real gems from the much-maligned 1e Fiend Folio. They are really quite terrifying if you think about it: disembodied spirits, roaming around the spirit world, trying to break into the material world, to find a body to possess.

While returning from astral travel, there is a chance that a bus-load of these things (4-24 of them!!!) will latch on to you, following you back into the material world. The FF postulates a 4% chance, but I'd say roll the good ole d20, them appearing on a 20 (a 5% chance).

Successfully following you into the material world, they immediately attack, trying to destroy your soul and take over your body! Yikes....

Clarifying the Origins

The FF speculates that Astral Searchers originate in traumatic events and spell-use in the astral plane. This is only the shadow of the real truth...

The true origins of Astral Searchers are the people who had their SILVER CORDS SEVERED while astrally projecting. Their spirits are then lost in the astral mists, and stuck there, unable to return to their true bodies. They will desperately latch onto anyone they can find, hoping to catch a ride back to the material world to reattain a physical form.

Clarifying the Mechanics

Essentially, what happens is, the Astral Searcher grabs onto the victim's body while it is on the astral plane, and "rides along" as it shifts into the material plane.

What they are talking about here is the Ethereal-to-Material transition. This transition happens when a physical body shifts phases from an astral state to a material state.

Purely "spirit-only" travel, projecting your astral body but not your physical body, would not involve any danger from these things, since, in that case, there is no astral-to-material transition.

Clarifying the Combat Mechanics

I must admit, I am a bit unsatisfied with the description of the combat mechanics. The problem is, they way they describe it, there is really no parallel for this anywhere else in the D&D rulebook.

Where exactly is the rule for "fighting an attempted spirit possession"??? According to the FF, here is how it works:

Your spirit has AC 5, but the same amount of hit points as your physical body. If it knocks you down to zero hit points, your spirit is considered crushed, destroyed forever, and it takes over your body....

For one, spirit possession does NOT involve the annihilation of the host soul. The invader "over-shadows" the host spirit, but if the invading spirit is exorcised, the host soul reasserts itself.

For two, isn't there some better mechanic for fighting spirit possession???

Spirit Possession mechanic of the Magic Jar

We already have a really good mechanic given in the 5th level magic user spell Magic Jar. This is precisely a spirit-invasion, hostile-take-over attempt of some else's body by an invading spirit.

In this spell, resistance to take-over is based on a savings throw, which is modified by comparing the INT+WIS scores of the two combatants.

The time of possession is also limited based on the relative INT+WIS scores. The victim gets a save every round, turn, day, or week depending on the comparable scores.

Also, the magician spell Mind Blank protects you from possession or soul trapping... Presumably the psionic defense of the same name would provide that protection, too...

This Magic Jar mechanic makes a lot more sense than the one described in the FF, so that is what I would follow.

The Astral Searcher could still attack physically with its 2hd form and 1-6 damage strike, but if it is going to attempt a spirit takeover, let's be consistent, shall we?

INT+WIS modifier for Savings Throw versus spirit possession:

Victim at +9 or more --> +4 on save, save each round

victim at +6, +7, +8 --> +3 on save, save each round

victim at +3, +4, +5) --> +2 on save, save each round

victim at even, +1, +2 --> + 1 on save, save each round

attacker at +1,2,3,or 4 --> no adjustment on save, save each round

attacker at +5,6,7,8 --> -1 on save, save each turn

attacker at +9, 10,11,12 --> -2 on save, save each day

attacker at +13 or more --> -3 on save, save each week

Grey Ooze, Yellow Mold, Algoid - Psionic plant life

The concept of psi-powered plant life is interesting. The basic idea in all of these cases is that a colony of microscopic plant life has attained some sort of rudimentary sentience.

Following this build-up of mental power, they can unleash a psionic attack. But because of their basic mindlessness, they remain immune to psionic counter-attacks.

Gray Ooze

Semi-sentient subterranean slime.... Can ooze around and lash out like a snake for physical damage. Will react to any use of psionic powers nearby (6" range) with a psionic attack of its own.

Psionic ability: 21-121

attack: Psychic Crush

defenses: immune to psionic attack

Yellow Mold

Semi-sentient mold colonies will attack physically by spore clouds, or psionically if psionic powers are used nearby (2"-12" range).

Psionic ability: 10-100

attack: Id Insinuation

defenses: immune to psionic attack

Algoid

The algoid is, at base, a psionic colony of algae. It represents a slight advance on previous psionic-slime types because it can also rise up in a humanoid shape to perform physical attacks as well control other plants around them.

Psionic ability: 101-120

attack: Psionic Blast

defenses: immune to psionic attack

special powers: control over nearby trees

Dreaming Gods - license for creative DM'ing

[I was inspired by Quibish's concept of Dreaming Gods, over at his blog http://quibish.blogspot.com/2011/04/dreaming-gods.html. Check it out! Here is my take:]

The Dreaming Gods are not physical, manifesting in-your-face gods like the 1e Deities and Demigods (as far as I am concerned we can dispense with them).

The Dreaming Gods are known for their effects: zones of non-reality, as if gods are dreaming, called DreamLand. And you get sucked up into their dream.

--Their dream may be some sort of circus-funhouse-of-death megadungeon... [Rules of physics? What rules of physics?]

--Or maybe when you step into their dream, your characters are suddenly drawn into a game of Monopoly, or a game of Clue!

--Perhaps DreamLand is defined by a movie, or a book!

Be creative, this could get very fun.

Whatever the case is, the normal rules don't apply. Even the standard rolling procedures may need to be modified. [As you draw your +5 Vorpal Avenger, suddenly you are holding a bouquet of yellow roses, a small bee gently buzzing in its petals...]

It is part of the fun and challenge of the game play that your players have to figure out the rules on the fly, while being confronted with the challenges of the game.

The "dream" could even change if the players visited the same location later, or disappear for a time. The wise men say, "The Dreamer has awoken, he is not dreaming now..."

--Perhaps pilgrims wait in that spot, hoping to get caught up in the dream again...

--Perhaps some have emerged battered and insane from the DreamLand...

--Perhaps some disappear while in DreamLand, never to be seen on earth again...

The idea has certain things in common with traditional D&D elements. The classic modules EX1-2, Dungeonland and The Land Beyond the Magic Mirror, come to mind, as the PCs are transported into Alice's Wonderland.

It also reminds me of sci-fi author Robert Heinlein's book The Number of the Beast, wherein the characters discover that "fictional universes" are actually real.

Guardian Monsters - Listed and Considered

There are a great number of guardian monsters to help spice up the role playing. Guardian-type monsters are a regular feature in dramatic fantasy fiction, so even new players will relate to plot hooks predicated on guardian monster intervention.

Lord of the Rings, for example, is essentially a guardian-monster-initiated adventure (Gandolf being the guardian monster). The Gandolf example is apt, as many guardian monsters do have polymorph powers, so could assume the likeness of mankind.

Guardian Animals

For low-level campaigns, dealing with the local dangers of the heath and forest, some of the best guardian monsters you can use are Grims and Moondogs. The great thing about the Grims and Moondogs is that they are elusive and mysterious, so the players would probably think they were part of the evil at first.

Grims take the form of black dogs, black cats, or black owls. The Harry Potter series used the "Grim plot hook" to great effect in book 3, when Harry kept seeing a large black canine stalking him in the shadows (which ended up being his guardian Sirius Black, of course).

Guardians of Specific Places

Some guardians are encamped in a specific locale, working to disrupt and contain some evil from breaking out.

Naga (guardian-types) would be well-used here. From their description it seems clear they would not be likely to be "roaming" guardians. I could see them patrolling a Yuan-Ti infested jungle, or the area around an evil temple...

Foo-Dogs and Foo-Lions are also described as guardians with powerful anti-evil powers. They are described as chaotic, so would not make good long-term disciplined guardians, but they could be brought in as excellent shock troops in the battle against evil.

Opinicus also appear to be well-suited to a role as guardians of some specific location. They are especially equipped to deal with undead and demons, so they would be prone to be found guarding the approaches to dangerous areas full of such creatures, such as the forest around a vampire's castle or the mountains around lich's lair, for example.

Wandering Guardian Monsters

The Agathion, Baku, Ki-rin, Lammasu, Hollyphant, and Shedu are the classic wandering guardian monsters. They are all described as "roaming" guardians, seeking out and containing evil wherever they can find it.

Most of them can polymorph into human form. I imagine they would maintain some kind of contact with locals on the ground, gathering their information. Naturally, such contact would tend to be with influential druids, clerics, magic users, or psionic warriors.

Dragon Guardians and Dragon Wars

Another creative idea would be to use a dragon, or even Bahamut the Platinum Dragon, as a guardian. His description clearly describes his regular wandering. No doubt he is gathering intelligence and keeping tabs on rising evil, ready to intervene if necessary. I would imagine he would be especially vigilant against dragon problems, particularly related to his evil arch-nemesis Tiamat.

I can imagine lots of plot hooks involving a "War Among the Dragons". Imagine the poor people caught in the middle of those battles. Of course, the good dragons would seek out the help of powerful humans of good alignment to assist in their battle. The evil dragons would perhaps have some evil humans on their side, and let us not forget the Githyanki-Red Dragon alliance...

You gotta admit, campaigning a Dragon War would be pretty freakin epic.

Good old-fashioned Guardian Angels

The ultimate guardian monsters are probably the "guardian angels" statted out in the 1e MM2 as Devas, Planetars, and Solars. If you are doing a "human-centric" campaign, these would be perfect. Perhaps especially if you are doing a "war of good vs evil, angels vs devils" type scenario. Solars are so ridiculously over-powered, they would have to be used against Demon Lords and such.

Guardian Monster Random Table

Or maybe you just need a guardian animal to bail your players out of a tight spot or severe challenge. Here you go, in random tabular form:

01-20 Grim

21-30 Moondog

31-38 Naga, guardian

39-46 Foo-creature (75% dog, 25% lion)

47-53 Opinicus

54-60 Hollyphant

61-67 Agathion

68-74 Baku

75-81 Ki-rin

82-88 Lammasu (25% Greater Lammasu)

89-95 Shedu (25% Greater Shedu)

96-97 Dragon (10% Bahamut)

98-99 Deva

00 Planetar (25% Solar)

Astral Travel and Astral Combat

Dealing with psionics means that you will also need to be familiar with the mechanics of the astral plane.


The astral plane is the spiritual counterpart of the material world. It is, literally speaking, "the spirit realm". It touches the material world at all points, being co-terminus with it, but on a different "wavelength".

Creatures enter the astral plane for various reasons, most usually related to travel. Traveling astrally is the preferred method, and sometimes the only method, for reaching the planets, the stars, and far distant celestial bodies. [Functionally, these can be treated as equivalent to the "other planes" in the neo-Gygaxian worldview.]

Traveling Astrally - the Basics

People can enter the astral plane in one of two ways: 1) spirit projection, or 2) ethereal translation of their material body.

If done through method one, the projected spirit is connected to the material body by a silver cord. This is preferred for long-distance travel. The spirit body travels at essentially "the speed of thought" through the astral plane.

If done through method two, the physical body itself does the traveling, while in an ethereal state. This is much slower. The material body cannot travel any faster while ethereal than physical, and usually, is actually slower. The astral plane is more like moving through water. Because it is not solid, it is difficult to be "walked through".

Rather, while in an ethereal state, the astral plane is easiest to be "swum through" or "flown through". Thus, most creatures who travel regularly through the astral plane have wings (or develop something like the Thought Eater's web paws). [The Githyanki have perfected the art of sailing through the astral sea using the gossamer web of the Phase Spider for sails.]

Implications for Astral Combat

If done through method one, the spirit body is essentiall "naked". The only offensive combat type available would be psionic combat. The astral body is vulnerable to psionic and other attacks that directly effect the spirit body, such as the energy-drain of the undead or certain special magic weapons. The astral body is not physical at all, so it is immune to purely physical attacks.

If done through method two, equipment and magical items can be brought along into the ethereal state, and the ethereal body is vulnerable to attack. Thus, two ethereal bodies could engage in regular combat against each other on the astral plane, using both physical and magic effects. [Think of Frodo being stabbed with the ethereal sword and visible to his pursuers while wearing the One Ring.] As long as they are on the same ethereal "wavelength", they are solid objects relative to each other.

An ethereal body can change wavelength to attack a material body, in a fashion such as a Phase Spider. An ethereal body can SEE purely astral bodies, but cannot affect them without special magic items or some other "spirit attacking" ability. The Githyanki silver sword is such an object, a magic item that can sever the silver astral cord.

The base chance for an encounter on the astral plane is 1 in 20, checked three times, at the beginning, middle, and at the end of the journey.

Becoming Lost on the Astral Plane

The silver cord prevents the projected astral body from becoming lost. An ethereal body, however, can very easily get lost in the dark, gloomy, and windy astral plane. This is another reason that ethereal travel tends to be for very short distances only.

The most significant cause of becoming lost in an ethereal state involve an Ether Cyclone, which is a powerful storm version of the Psychic Wind. Basically, traveling in the astral plane is like swimming in the ocean, making the traveler subject to currents and whirlpool-like effects.

In Appendix C (pg. 181) of the 1e DMG, Gygax recommends a 5% (1 in 20) chance (for a short-hop trip) that an astral projection or ethereal journey will be disrupted by an astral current of some sort.

If Astrally Projected

1-12 --> slows travel, one additional check for random encounter

13-16 --> blown off course, lost for 2-20 days, extra check for encounter each day, then return to starting place

17-19 --> blown off course, arrives at an unintended destination

20 --> dangerous storm, save vs magic or have silver cord snapped, lost for 4-40 days, extra check for encounter each day, then return to starting place

If Ethereal traveling

1-10 --> blown off course, random direction, 12" per round of travel, one additional check for encounter

11-15 --> blown off course, arrives at unintended destination

16-18 --> lost for 5-60 days, extra check for encounter each day, then arrive at unintended destination

19-20 --> lost for 10-120 days, extra check for encounter each day, then arrive at unintended destination

What exactly is an "unintended location"?

Traveling astrally to the moon or a planet, an unintended location would be another planet within the solar system. Travel astrally to another solar system, an unintended location would mean a different solar system than the one intended.

Traveling ethereally, an unintended location would mean you land in something else's lair, such as a Mind Flayer, a Githyanki, an Aboleth, a demon, etc....

Psionics Made Enjoyable - three simple rules mods

There is no "Z" psionic monster, so to end this month-long consideration of psionic monsters, I want to go over the guidelines/rules of psionic combat, which will be necessary if you begin to incorporate these wonderful psi-monsters into your adventures.

The Benevolent Utility of Rounds rather than Segments

Famously, psionic powers take only seconds to launch, measured in attacks per segment, rather than full rounds. I strongly recommend you "house-rule" a modification on this, as that one rule causes most of the practical problems when integrating psionics into normal combat.

The biggest problems with psionic combat in segments are that

1) psionic combat, taking place before regular combat, means that your psionic PC could be knocked out dead before any real action happens, without any help possible from the rest of the party, and

2) sitting around the table, it is unfair and boring to the non-psionic players to watch the unfolding of psionic combat to the exclusion of everyone else.

Thus, I strongly recommend you "house rule" psionic combat to take place in normal rounds, along with everything else. It makes psionic easily and smoothly incorporated into the normal combat sequence.

It makes perfect sense to have one psionic attack per round. Otherwise, are we to allow the Mind Flayer to fire off 10 Psionic Blasts per round? That would not make any sense and is obviously not what the designers intended.

Psionics Attacks Handled as All Other Attacks

Logically, a psionic attack should be handled just like a magical or physical attack: 1 type of attack, 1 attack per round. In other words, in your round, you get one attack: physical, magical, or psionic.

Handling psionic combat in this manner allows psionics to be smoothly integrated into the normal flow of the game. Psionic players are no longer getting knocked out before combat starts, nor is everyone else sitting around bored. Plus, it makes sense according to the in-game mechanics.

Handling Psionics Considering Initiative

Psionics would then be subject to the same rules of initiative as everything else, as well. Let's say a monster WINS INITIATIVE and directs a psionic attack at your PC group.

--Those WITH psionic defences put up the defence of their choice, and subtract some points from their psionic total. They then get their attack.

--Those WITHOUT psionic defenses have to make a savings throw against the psionic attack.

If they succeed on their save, they "throw off" the psionic attack and get to counter-attack like normal.

If they fail their save, they suffer the ill effects as specified in the appropriate table, and probably lose their counter-attack, due to the result of the effect.

A spell caster who failed his savings throw would have his spell interrupted and ruined for that round. Passing his save, he could cast the spell as normal.

If the PCs won the initiative that round, they would get their attacks off first, magical, psionic, or physical, before suffering the psionic attack.

Dispense with table IV.B. (the Table of Certain Psionic Doom)

This table is the "Psionic Attack Upon Defenseless Psionic" table (on page 77 of the 1e DMG). The devastating effects of this table are the second leading cause of people dumping psionics from their campaigns.

Playing a psionic PC becomes very un-fun when you get down to this table, and if you meet a monster with a higher psionic point total, under the "attacks-in-segments" routine, you are pretty much guaranteed to get down to this table.

If you change psionic combat to "attacks per round", you are a lot less likely to get down to this table. But there are still some logical reasons to just get rid of it altogether.

As an alternative, if your psionic PC runs out of psionic strength points, just have him make a savings throw as a non-psionic. Really bad stuff is still possible, but it becomes far less likely.

See my savings throw tables for non-psionics versus the various psionic attacks:

Psionic Blast http://oldschoolpsionics.blogspot.com/2010/11/psionic-attacks-on-non-psionics-psionic.html

Psychic Crush http://oldschoolpsionics.blogspot.com/2010/11/psionic-attack-upon-non-psionics.html

Mind Thrust http://oldschoolpsionics.blogspot.com/2010/11/psionic-attacks-on-non-psionics-mind.html

Id Insinuation http://oldschoolpsionics.blogspot.com/2010/11/psionic-attacks-on-non-psionic-id.html

Ego Whip http://oldschoolpsionics.blogspot.com/2010/11/psionic-attacks-upon-non-psionics-ego.html

Should You Divide Attack and Defense Points?

I think this is another rule that should tossed for the sake of simplicity [but you could still keep it if you did not mind the extra "accounting load" and illogic of it all].

Supposedly, if you run out of defense points, you could still attack with psionics, and could still use your psionic powers, but you would be considered "defenseless"? Frankly, it doesn't make sense. If you have psi strength left, you should be able to use it. Separating them also adds to the "complication load" due to the extra accounting and necessity of "half points". Screw it.

Instead, just keep one running tally: total strength/ability points. In other words, psionic strength is the same thing as psionic ability. That total can be used for attack, defense, or disciplines/sciences, until the points run out. Only then you are truly a "defenseless psionic". [Following this "easy button" rule also eliminates the problem of subtracting "half-points" when using disciplines/sciences.]

Conclusion

If you incorporate these three simple house rules into your game -- attacks in rounds, no table IV.B., and no division of strength points - psionics become a pleasurable and easily-administered element in your regular campaign. Enjoy!