Working on the Endless Horizon plane/setting has had me thinking a lot about size. One of the core concepts of the plane is that the PCs are struggling to survive and adventure in this realm dominated by epically proportioned foes. At early and mid levels this should make any adventuring they do a tense affair with the thought always in the back of their minds that should a kaiju or similar creature show up they need to flee as quickly as possible. But size alone doesn’t really get the job done. In Starfinder there are few benefits to being very big – it increases reach but little else. I believe the intent of this is simplify things for the GM, so they don’t have to look up what benefits being Gargantuan give a monster, and instead can just find everything they need in the stat block. That is a design decision I appreciate, it just means that when you are creating some titanic beast like a kaiju you need to make sure you as the monster creator are giving it abilities suitable to its stature.

I would also be doing myself and future players a disservice if I don’t take into mind the Mech Combat rules that Paizo has been play testing. If I’m going to be making this setting full of gigantic monsters, players are absolutely going to want to get into some giant mech and get their Voltron action on. So with that in mind, here is an expanded size table, as well new creature type grafts for Kaiju and Titans.

Some things to keep in mind for this chart: anything gargantuan or bigger should probably have a Starship Combat option if your are using that in your game. Also, movement should increase with size, so on average a gargantuan creature should have a movement speed of at least 50 ft., colossal should have at least 80 ft., vast should have at least 120 ft., and immeasurable should have at least 150 ft. These things are massive and have strides that are extremely broad.

In first edition Pathfinder the Kaiju are a subtype, often of magical beasts. I’ve been following that structure, but there are enough shared traits that giving them their own type makes sense for Starfinder.

CREATURE TYPE GRAFTS

Kaiju

A kaiju is a massive and often unique creature of such size and power that it gains its own classification. They are often associated with elemental subtypes, and while some are barely smarter than the typical beast, many feature personality traits that allow for rudimentary alliances or rivalries with other kaiju. Regardless, all kaiju have great capacity for devastation.

Traits: Darkvision 600 ft., untyped damage reduction of at least 10, fast healing of their CR or regeneration of half their CR, resistance of at least 10 to most energy types, as well as immunity to ability damage, ability drain, death effects, disease, and fear. They also have the following abilities –

Action surge (Ex): Kaiju are able to make two standard actions and a move action on their turn. Some can do even more.

Demolish Structures (Ex) Kaiju’s natural weapons ignore the hardness of all structures not made of adamantine alloy or a harder material. Against structures made of such materials, kaiju’s natural weapons ignore half of the structure’s hardness.

Hurl Foe (Ex): When a kaiju damages a Huge or smaller foe with one of its natural attacks, it can try to bull rush the foe as part of that attack. The kaiju only has to hit KAC +4 for the bull rush to succeed. If an obstacle stops the hurled creature before it travels the whole distance, the hurled foe and the obstacle struck each take 1d4 points of bludgeoning damage per 5 feet of distance remaining and the foe is knocked prone in the space adjacent to the obstacle.

Massive (Ex): Because kaiju are so massive, uneven ground and other terrain features that form difficult terrain generally pose no significant hindrance to a kaiju’s movement, though settlements or areas of forest are considered difficult terrain to a kaiju. A Huge or smaller creature can move through any square occupied by a kaiju, and vice versa. A kaiju can make attacks of opportunity only against foes that are Huge or larger and can be flanked only by Huge or larger foes. A kaiju gains a bonus for being on higher ground only if its entire space is on higher ground than that of its target. It’s possible for a Huge or smaller creature to climb a kaiju—this generally requires a successful DC 30 check, and unlike the normal rules about kaiju and attacks of opportunity, a Small or larger creature that climbs on a kaiju’s body provokes an attack of opportunity from the monster.

Recovery (Ex): Whenever a kaiju fails a saving throw against any mind-affecting, paralysis, petrification, polymorph, or immobilizing effect, it can attempt a new saving throw at the end of its turn to remove the effect. Doing so does not requires an action. A kaiju can attempt a new save to end the effect as often as it wishes, but can attempt to remove only one such effect per round. Once per year, if a kaiju takes an amount of damage that would normally kill it by reducing its hit points to a negative amount equal to its Constitution score, the damage instead heals the kaiju of twice the amount of damage—but this healing leaves the kaiju disoriented and demoralized. At this point, the creature becomes nauseated and seeks only to return to its lair. Any amount of damage dealt to it by an external source before it reaches its lair, though, immediately negates the nauseated effect and allows the kaiju to end its retreat and attack.

Adjustments: +2 to one type of saving throw, +1 to attack rolls

Titan

Titans are primordial creatures of near-godlike power who predate the mortal races. During the Age of Creation, the gods formed the titans from the raw substance of the planes to help them refine and develop the new, and still roughly-formed multiverse. For unknown reasons, the titans rebelled against their progenitors, declaring themselves the true lords of creation. Entire planes were destroyed in the ensuing war, but in the end the gods emerged victorious, banishing and imprisoning their rebellious children.

Traits: See in darkness, untyped damage reduction of at least 15, fast healing of their CR or regeneration of half their CR, resistance of at least 15 to all or nearly all energy types, immunity to at least one energy type, as well as immunity to ability damage, ability drain, aging, death effects, disease, paralysis, permanent wounds, petrification, poison, polymorph, and fear. They also have the following abilities –

Action surge (Ex): Titans are able to make two standard actions and a move action on their turn. Some can do even more.

Frightful Presence (Su): Titans are awe inspiring terrors. Range equal to CR x10 ft., DC by CR.

Massive (Ex): Because titans are so massive, uneven ground and other terrain features that form difficult terrain generally pose no significant hindrance to a titan’s movement, though settlements or areas of forest are considered difficult terrain to a titan. A Huge or smaller creature can move through any square occupied by a titan, and vice versa. A titan can make attacks of opportunity only against foes that are Huge or larger and can be flanked only by Huge or larger foes. A titan gains a bonus for being on higher ground only if its entire space is on higher ground than that of its target. It’s possible for a Huge or smaller creature to climb a titan—this generally requires a successful DC 30 check, and unlike the normal rules about titan and attacks of opportunity, a Small or larger creature that climbs on a titan’s body provokes an attack of opportunity from the monster.

Spell resistance (Ex): Titans naturally resist any attempt to alter their space in reality. Equal to 11 + the titan’s CR.

True seeing (Su): Titans continuously use this ability, as the spell.

Undying (Ex): Titans are part of the very fabric of the multiverse and cannot be slain. Disintegration can harm, but not destroy them. Miracle, Wish, or Warp Reality cannot slay them, and even deific power cannot truly kill a titan, only maim or imprison. If brought to zero hit points the titan is considered unconscious and heals as normal from its fast healing or regeneration. If put into an area where they take continuous damage that does not allow them to heal up to consciousness, after a minute the titan dissolves and reforms 1d12 hours later somewhere on the same plane that they can exist without taking continuous damage.

Unstoppable (Ex) If a titan starts its turn suffering from any or all of the following conditions, it recovers from them at the end of its turn: blind, confused, dazed, deafened, dazzled, exhausted, fatigued, nauseated, sickened, slowed, staggered, and stunned.

Adjustments: +2 to one type of saving throw, +1 to attack rolls

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Until next time Starfinders!

Categories: Article Writing

Jeremy Corff

Artist and Writer