Bjolvar Deathdealer
Welcome again to Masters and Minions, where I strive to give you interesting NPCs and encounters that can be placed easily into your game. This week’s encounter is with the dreaded fire giant barbarian, Bjolvar Dragonflayer and his red dragon mount, Varthignax. Bjolvar leads a band of raiders, mostly made up of human and dwarf barbarians, which terrorize the nearby towns and farmsteads. Those Bjolvar deems worthy of riding into “glorious battle” with him are given young red dragons to be used as mounts, and which are raised from eggs (stolen at great risk from the dens of red dragons) in the camp. His band has been terrorizing the countryside for weeks now, several villages have been burned to the ground, and a substantial reward has been placed on the giant’s head.
Currently Bjolvar only has two warriors he deems worthy to ride with him: Olek the Stoic and an ogre who is referred to simply as “Ripper.” They each ride young red dragons. When raiding, they typically fly over their targets, harrying them with ranged attacks and liberal uses of their mounts’ breath weapons. Olek uses his mage’s net to grab helpless victims and either bring them back as slaves or drop them to their deaths. Once the opposition has fled, if there appears to be anything worth looting left, the trio land and grab whatever appeals to them before flying back to their camp. The total CR of this encounter is about 16, possibly slightly lower.
Bjolvar “The Red Scourge” Deathdealer |
CR 14 |
XP 38,400
Male fire giant barbarian 4
CE Large humanoid (fire, giant)
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +17
DEFENSE
AC 25, touch 9, flat-footed 25 (+6 armor, +2 Dex, +8 natural, –1 size)
hp 217 (15d8+4d12+118)
Fort +22, Ref +11, Will +12
Defensive Abilities trap sense +1, rock catching, uncanny dodge; DR 2/—; Immune fire; Resistance cold 10
Weaknesses vulnerability to cold
OFFENSE
Speed 50 ft (40 ft in armor)
Melee greatsword +28/+23/+18 (3d6+18) or 2 slams +26 (1d8+12)
Ranged rock +16 (1d8+18 plus 1d6 fire)
Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft
Special Attacks heated rock, rage (22 rounds/day), rage powers (no escape, renewed vigor [1d8+6]), rock throwing (120 ft.)
STATISTICS
Str 35, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 10, Wis 12, Cha 12
Base Atk +15; CMB +26; CMD 36
Feats Cleave, Great Cleave, Extra Rage, Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Iron Will, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Ride-by-Attack, Weapon Focus (greatsword)
Skills Climb +14, Craft (weaponsmithing) +8, Intimidate +16, Perception +17, Ride +13
Languages Common, Giant
SQ fast movement
Treasure NPC gear (adamantine breastplate, adamantine greatsword, cloak of resistance +3, minor ring of cold resistance)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Heated Rock (Su)
Fire giants transfer the heat of their bodies to rocks as part of an attack action when they throw rocks. A heated rock deals 1d6 points of additional fire damage on a hit.
Varthignax |
CR 13 |
XP 25,600
CE Huge dragon (fire)
Init +4; Senses dragon senses, smoke vision; Perception +20
Aura frightful presence (180 ft., DC 19)
DEFENSE
AC 26, touch 8, flat-footed 26 (+18 natural, –2 size)
hp 172 (15d12+75)
Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +12
DR 5/magic; Immune fire, paralysis, sleep; SR 24
Weaknesses vulnerability to cold
OFFENSE
Speed 40 ft, fly 200 ft (poor)
Melee bite +22 (2d8+14), 2 claws +22 (2d6+9), 2 wings +20 (1d8+4), tail slap +21 (2d6+14)
Space 15 ft; Reach 10 ft (15 ft with bite)
Special Attacks breath weapon (50-ft cone, DC 24, 10d10 fire), crush
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th)
At will—detect magic, pyrotechnics (DC 15)
Spells Known (CL 5th)
2nd (6/day)—invisibility, protection from arrows
1st (4/day)—enlarge person, magic missile, shield, true strike
0 (at will)—arcane mark, light, mage hand, mending, message, prestidigitation, read magic
STATISTICS
Str 29, Dex 10, Con 21, Int 14, Wis 15, Cha 14
Base Atk +15; CMB +26; CMD 36 (40 vs. trip)
Feats Ability Focus (breath weapon), Greater Vital Strike, Improved Initiative, Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack, Vital Strike
Skills Appraise +20, Bluff +20, Fly +12, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (arcana) +20, Perception +20, Sense Motive +20, Spellcraft +20, Stealth +12
Languages Common, Draconic, Dwarven, Orc
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Smoke Vision (Ex)
A very young red dragon can see perfectly in smoky conditions (such as those created by pyrotechnics).
“Ripper” (Half-Fiend Ogre Barbarian 3) |
CR 8 |
XP 4,800
CE Large outsider (native, giant)
Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +7
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 11, flat-footed 20 (+5 armor, +2 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 86 (4d8+3d12+50)
Fort +14, Ref +5, Will +7
DR 5/magic; Immune poison; Resist acid, cold, electricity and fire 10; SR 19
Defensive Abilities trap sense +1, uncanny dodge
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft (50 ft base), fly 60 ft (good)
Melee “Cleaver” (+1 greataxe) +17 (3d6+12) or 2 claws +13 (1d6+11) and a bite +8 (1d8+5)
Ranged javelin +8 (1d8+5)
Space 10 ft; Reach 10 ft
Special Attacks rage 14 rounds/day, rage powers (fearless rage), smite good 1/day
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th)
3/day—darkness, poison; 1/day—desecrate, unholy blight;
STATISTICS
Str 29, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 6, Wis 14, Cha 9
Base Atk +6; CMB +16; CMD 27
Feats Iron Will, Toughness, Weapon Focus (greataxe)
Languages Common, Giant
Treasure NPC gear (“Cleaver” (+1 greataxe), +1 hide armor, cloak of resistance +1, elixir of firebreath)
Olek the Stoic (Dwarf Fighter 8) |
CR 8 |
XP 4,800
NE Medium humanoid (dwarf)
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft, low-light vision; Perception +2
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 15, flat-footed 20 (+10 armor, +3 Dex, +1 Dodge)
hp 52 (8d10+16)
Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +4
Defensive Abilities bravery +2, armor training 2
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft
Ranged net +13 (no damage) or throwing axe +13/+8 (1d6+4)
Space 5 ft; Reach 5 ft
Special Attacks weapon training (thrown)
STATISTICS
Str 15, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 6
Base Atk +8; CMB +10; CMD 13 (17 vs bull rush or trip)
Feats Weapon Focus (net), Quickdraw, Weapon Focus (Throwing Axe), Weapon Specialization (Throwing Axe), Dodge, Mobility, Point Blank Shot, Shot on the Run, Mounted Combat
Skills Ride +14
Languages Common, Dwarven
Treasure NPC gear (mage’s net (Into the Armory), throwing axe (20), full plate +1, 2 potions of cure serious wounds)