Let's Make a Ghoul King -- Still Not Done With PF1 (Patreon)

I rarely make Pathfinder First Edition monsters from scratch, because there's no need to. Between the hundreds of monsters that already exist, the number of templates you can slap on them, and the number of levers and knobs you can use to adjust how a monster functions and/or comes across to the players, it's almost always a simple task to take an existing creature stat block, and adjust it to be your new monster.

It CAN take a hot minute, but I find it faster than starting from scratch, and able to provide just as wide a range of foes for players to face.

To demonstrate my process, let's make a Ghoul King. I have a piece of art I want to use, and a concept--a higher-CR version of ghouls that can command others of its kind and provide a greater threat and adventure-ending boss (or mid-adventure mini-boss). Something around CR 9, that can be used as an epic encounter for groups that have been fighting groups of ghouls and ghasts, and maybe a ghul or two.

Paying patrons can always find a link to this, and a host of other Pathfinder First Edition monsters and templates, at my Pathfinder First Edition Monster Index. So upgrade now if you want access to this exclusive index!

(The ghoul king has a built-in crown of horns. Art by Kalleeck.)

So, with a concept and description in hand, how do I go about this?

Step one--find a creature of the right type, subtype, size, approximate shape, and CR. In this case, since I want a CR 9 Medium people-shaped undead, I went with the baykok.

Next, we remove from the baykok anything inappropriate to our ghoul king. That includes the fly speed, devour soul, dread howl, infused arrows, Improved Critical (composite longbow), Improved Initiative, Point-Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Rapid Shot, Weapon Focus (composite longbow), Fly +28, and the +1 composite longbow [+3 Str] listed with treasure. To make my life easier later, I note how many feats and skill points I removed, so I can replace them with appropriate choices later.

Next, I'd adjust ability cores... but I don't feel a need in this case. While my ghoul king is ranged rather than a melee combatant, classic ghouls have higher Dexterity scores than Strength. And my ghoul king has a pretty low Intelligence and Wisdom, but it's immune to most Will-save-based spells, and who says kings are smarter or wiser than their subjects?

Looking at the classic ghoul, it has Weapon Finesse, which makes sense here as well, so I'll use that to fill one of my empty feat slots. While looking at attacks I'll through in the classic ghoul bite, add a gore for that bone crown, and tack on disease and paralysis. I grab paralysis from the ghoul line and add a staggered effect on the end of it so it IS more powerful, but a player doesn't have to sit out the whole game for any longer. I glance through some other ghoul monsters, borrowing ideas like cold immunity and burrow and climb speeds from Leng ghouls and DR and cursed natural attacks from the ghul.

I use my skill points from not taking Fly to buy Knowledge (local) in keeping with my creation mythology, and spend my remaiing feats. I grab Spring Attack because I don;t have a ranged attack.

I am aware there are already stats for a ghoul monarch, but that's a standard ghoul with a ton of sorcerer levels. This is a different creature, with a higher CR baseline. I can add class levels (or, more likely, one or more simple class templates) if I want a higher-level ghoul king.

Ghoul King CR 9XP 6,400NE Medium undeadInit +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +18

DefenseAC 24, touch 17, flat-footed 17 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +7 natural)hp 97 (15d8+30)Fort +7, Ref +11, Will +9DR 5/good; Immune cold, undead traitsDefensive Abilities channel resistance +6

OffenseSpeed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft. climb 30 ft.Melee bite +17 (1d6 +3 plus disease and paralysis), 2 claws +17 (1d6+3 plus paralysis), gore +17 (1d6+3 plus paralysis)Melee (Power Attack) bite +14 (1d6 +9 plus disease and paralysis), 2 claws +14 (1d6+9 plus paralysis), gore +14 (1d6+9 plus paralysis)Special Attacks cursed nature, paralysis (1d4+1 rounds then staggered for same number of rounds, DC 19)Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +17)At Will -- control undead (DC 19, only vs ghasts, ghouls, ghoul hounds, ghuls, Leng ghouls, and sootwing bats)

StatisticsStr 17, Dex 22, Con —, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 15Base Atk +11; CMB +14; CMD 31Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Spring Attack, Mobility, Nimble Moves, Power Attack, Spring Attack, Weapon FinesseSkills Intimidate +20, Knowledge (local) +18, Perception +18, Stealth +24Languages Aklo, Common, Undercommon

EcologyEnvironment anyOrganization solitary (often with a 2d4 gangs or packs of ghasts or ghouls)Treasure double

Special Abilities

Disease (Su) Greater Ghoul Fever: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 19; frequency 1/day; effect 1d4 Con and 1d4 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. A humanoid who dies of greater ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight. A humanoid who becomes a ghoul in this way retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. It is under the control of the ghoul king that created it, obeys that creature without question, and has telepathy with its creator to a range of 500 feet. A humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast, but otherwise follows the same rules.

Cursed Nature (Ex) A ghoul king's natural weapons count as cold iron, evil, and magic for the purpose of bypassing damage reduction.

Description

When a person dies under the wrong, vile circumstances, they become a ghoul. When a city or kingdom dies in such a way, one of the fallen may rise a ghoul king. This is most likely in places where a society fell to disease (especially food-borne diseases), gluttony, greed, or worship of foul gods and evil outsiders. While a ghoul king may be the undead form of a lord or monarch, they are just as likely to rise from gang leaders, evil businessmen, serial killers, and corrupt guards. The ghoul king rises with an inherent knowledge of the people in the territory it claims, and a hunger for enough flesh to feed a city of undead.