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Atropal
Image by Brom, © Wizards of the Coast. Accessed at the Epic Level
Handbook Art Gallery here

[Commissioned by @tar-baphon. The atropal is possibly the edgiest

D&D monster to ever exist–I’m sure that the BADD crowd would have
lost their minds over a literal dead baby god. The artwork is
fantastically disturbing. Getting Brom back for the Epic Level
Handbook was an excellent choice. The original atropal was a CR 30;
the atropal scion was a lesser version from Libris Mortis that was CR
11. I’ve split the difference here with a CR 20 version. My version is
reasonably faithful, but I’ve made one major change based on the
flavor text from the ELH. That book mentions that they have too-
sharp half-moon fingernails, like those of an actual baby, so I wanted
to finally give the atropal a claw attack.]

Atropal
CR 20 NE Undead
This horrific creature looks like a giant human fetus, but it is clearly
rotten and warped. Its skin is pocked with craters and peeling flecks,
its eyes are white, and it claws the air with small arms with sharp nails.
An umbilical cord drags and drifts behind it, and it levitates in the air.

An atropal is an abomination of the highest order; it is the stillborn

remains of a god, given animation and a hatred of all life. Atropals
are only created in great upheavals of reality, and the number of them
in the multiverse is likely in the single digits. Those that do exist are
locked away by the gods and their worshipers, and scheme to escape
—cults of nihilism and undeath often work to release an atropal as a
doomsday scheme. The very existence of an atropal snuffs out life. A
plague of wraiths forms around them whenever they are in the
presence of mortals.

An atropal is a commander by nature, imperiously directing the

actions of an army of the dead. They prefer to use their spell-like
abilities and channeled negative energy to destroy anyone capable of
fighting against them. An atropal can see magic auras, and knows
what spells can ward off the effects of its life suppressing aura—
those protected in this fashion are bombarded with dispelling
attempts. Although they prefer not to be caught in melee, they can
fight with surprisingly sharp little nails that cut through life essence
as easily as they tear through flesh.
Atropal CR 20
XP 307,200
NE Large undead
Init +6; Senses arcane sight, darkvision 60 ft., detect good, Perception
+38, true seeing
Aura life suppression (60 ft.), unholy (Fort DC 28)
Defense
AC 36, touch 15, flat-footed 24 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +21 natural, +4
deflection)
hp 362 (25d8+250); fast healing 15
Fort +22, Ref +16, Will +24; channel resistance +10
DR 20/good and epic or intelligent; Immune undead traits; Resist
cold 20, fire 20; SR 31 (36 vs. divination)
Offense
Speed 5 ft., fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Melee 2 claws +23 (2d6+9 plus Con drain)
Ranged negative beam +19 touch (20d8 negative energy plus energy
drain)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks channel negative energy (13/day, 10d6, DC 32),
create spawn, energy drain (2d4 negative levels, DC 32)
Spell-like Abilities CL 20th, concentration +30 (+34 casting
defensively)
Constant—arcane sight, detect good, nondetection (self only), unholy
aura (DC 28, self only)
At will—animate dead, create greater undead, create undead, greater
dispel magic, greater teleport, speak with dead (DC 23), spectral hand
3/day—blasphemy (DC 26), empowered cone of cold (DC 25), deeper
darkness, finger of death (DC 27), quickened greater dispel magic,
harm (DC 26), plane shift (DC 27), empowered quickened slay living
(DC 25)
1/day—control undead (DC 27), greater invisibility, haste, mass bull
strength, project image (DC 27), summon (1 nightwalker, 100%, level
9th), wail of the banshee (DC 29)
Statistics
Str 28, Dex 15, Con -, Int 22, Wis 22, Cha 31
Base Atk +18; CMB +28; CMD 44 (can’t be tripped)
Feats Alertness, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Command
Undead, Empower SLA (cone of cold), Flyby Attack, Improved
Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Quick Channel, Quicken
SLA (greater dispel magic, slay living), Skill Focus (Spellcraft)
Skills Fly +36, Knowledge (arcana, religion) +34, Knowledge
(dungeoneering, history, planes) +31, Perception +38, Sense Motive
+38, Spellcraft +40, Stealth +26
Languages telepathy 100 ft., truespeech
Ecology
Environment any
Organization solitary
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Channel Negative Energy (Su) An atropal can channel negative
energy as a 20thlevel cleric. The save DC is Charisma based.
Create Spawn (Su) Any humanoid killed within an atropal’s life
suppression aura rises as a free-willed wraith in 1d4 rounds. A
humanoid with 15 or more HD rises instead as a free willed dread
wraith in 1d4 rounds.
Constitution Drain (Ex) A creature struck by an atropal’s claw attack
must succeed a DC 32 Fortitude save or take 2d4 points of
Constitution drain. On each successful attack, the atropal gains 5
temporary hit points. The save DC is Charisma based.
Damage Reduction (Ex) An intelligent weapon can overcome an
atropal’s damage reduction.
Life Suppression Aura (Su) All living creatures within 60 feet of an
atropal gain 5 negative levels. This never results in permanent
negative levels, and these negative levels are removed when the
creature leaves the aura, but creatures with 5 or fewer Hit Dice are
automatically slain by this effect. A creature under protection from
evil, death ward or any spell or ability that has a similar effect is
immune to the life suppression aura. All undead in the area gain fast
healing 5 and channel resistance +5 as long as they remain in the
area.
Negative Beam (Su) Once every 1d4 rounds, an atropal can fire a ray
of negative energy. Treat this as a ranged touch attack with a range
of 250 feet and no range increment. A creature struck takes 20d8
points of negative energy damage. Living creatures must succeed a
DC 32 Fortitude save or take 2d4 negative levels. The save DC is
Charisma based.
True Seeing (Su) An atropal is under a constant true seeing effect as
a supernatural ability
Truespeech (Su) An atropal can automatically communicate with all
creatures that have a language, as per a tongues spell.

#atropal #D&D #commissions #pathfinder 1e #child death tw

112 notes Apr 9th, 2021