Paragon Creature
Among the population of every kind of creature are some specimens that are its weakest, worst representatives. Likewise, every population has its paragons: the strongest, smartest, luckiest, and most powerful of the species. Paragon creatures may represent the mythical First Creature, created in its perfect form by some creator deity, or perhaps the evolutionary endpoint of a race after thousands of years of steady improvement. Sometimes, paragons just spring up accidentally, when all the factors are right.
Creating a Paragon Creature
"Paragon" is a template that can be added to any creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).
The base creature's type remains unchanged. The paragon creature uses all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.
HD: A paragon creature always has maximum hit points. Paragon creatures also gain an additional 12 hit points per HD.
Speed: A paragon creature's speed triples, for all movement types.
AC: Paragon creatures gain a +12 insight bonus to AC and a +12 luck bonus to AC. They also gain a +5 natural armor bonus (if the creature already has natural armor, use whichever is better).
Attacks: A paragon creature makes all its attacks with a +25 luck bonus on the attack roll.
Damage: A paragon creature gains a +20 luck bonus on damage rolls for all melee and thrown ranged attacks.
Special Attacks: A paragon creature's special attacks, if any, all gain a +13 insight bonus, if applicable. For instance, a paragon creature might have a special attack that allows it to put its enemies to sleep if they fail a Will saving throw (DC 15); applying the bonus increases the DC to 28. Likewise, it might have a special ability that allows it to rend; in this case, the +13 insight bonus could be applied as a +13 bonus on damage. The +13 insight bonus may only be applied to a given special ability once.
One example of a special attack to which the +13 insight bonus would not apply is the dream haunting ability of the night hag.
Spell-Like Abilities (Sp) or Psionics (Sp): If the base creature has spell-like abilities, it gains +15 to its caster level to use those abilities. For instance, a creature that uses its spell-like abilities at 10th level uses those abilities at 25th level as a paragon creature. A paragon creature also gains the ability to use greater dispelling, haste, and see invisibility three times per day, even if it did not have spell-like abilities before, at 15th caster level.
Special Qualities: A paragon creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature and also gains the following.
- Fire and cold resistance 10. If the creature already possesses such resistance, use whichever is better.
- Damage reduction 20/epic. If the creature already possesses damage reduction, use whichever is better.
- Spell resistance equal to the paragon creature's CR +10. If the creature already possesses spell resistance, use whichever is higher.
- Fast healing 20. If the creature already possesses fast healing, use whichever is better.
Saves: The paragon creature gains a +10 insight bonus on all its saving throws.
Abilities: All ability scores are 15 points higher than those of the base creature.
Skills: The paragon creature gains a +10 competence bonus on all its skill checks.
Feats: Same as the base creature, plus two bonus feats.
Climate/Terrain: Any land and underground.
Organization: Same as the base creature.
Challenge Rating: Up to 6 HD, as base creature +18; 7 HD to 15 HD, as base creature +15; 16+ HD, as base creature +12.
Treasure: Standard for a creature of the adjusted CR.
Alignment: Same as the base creature.
Advancement: Same as the base creature.