lets look at the fiendwurm

[Sargon]

well ive come to have a few issues with the fiendwurm that i think i should share.

first of all its weak and dose not deserve a 28CR
i have proff for this ( as i try not to make a insane claim without proff)

we when we crack out monster maunal twos open to page 99 we are greeted with the fiendwurm.

first of all it is a magical beast, with all the "it was a worm at one point and modified" arguments asside it should be an outsider.
espically when you consider makeing it from a magical beast to an outsider would only chance the saves and acctually lower the HP it would not have much of an effect. (but it needs those saves higher)

then we look at the things stats. and are greeted with the fact that its will save is +10. the will save of a 28HD mutated worm from hell is 10? and it has no immunities to mind affecting?
what a great way for a wizard (or anything else that can cast dominate) to have a large fiendworm servent. if we compare it with a balor (8CRs lower) we find out a balors will save is +19.

the will save is too low so it should be changed to outsider HD.

now we come to look at the fiendwurms AC (27) since it is a CR28 that means a fighter (at level 28) with his bare hands (with the epic bonus that is a +24 to his attack) with a strength score of 10 needs to roll a 3 to hit it.

when we compare the fiendwurm which is a CR28 to another CR28 creature we find the AC is way too low.

another CR28 creature is the leshay (epic handbook page 202) the AC of a leshay is 52. the AC of a lavawight (epic handbook page 200) is 46 and the lavawight is a CR 23. the balor (cr20) has an ac of 35 and it is 8 CRs lower then the worm.

the AC of the fiendwurm is way to low for its CR.

now we look at the number of feats it has. it has three feats. Only three. by the number of HD it has along it should have nine.
is there another reason it has so few feats? its INT is 7, so it can learn feats, plus it has three already. so nothing is keeping it from learning feats. basically what i mean to say it there is no reason for it to have only three feats with 28 HD. (or if there is i am missing it.)

it needs about 6 more feats.

now lets look at the summons it gets. it looks like it can pull a large number of vrocks out at once. which is good beacuse in a fight the vrocks will be the only things to worry about. the fiendwurm would be dominated round one and will could kill at our convience. but if the vrocks are the only things doing any damage just cut the middleman (the fiendwurm) and send vrocks at the party.

anyhow this monster really needs some fixing. now that i look at it i belive that the party could walk over this monster, beacuse i think herod could take one alone.

also im remakeing this monster in to something presentable.

excuse (or dont) the many misspellings and grammar errors. im acctually so disapointed with the fiendwurm ive lost most higher cognative functions.

[Sargon]

here it is the better fiendwurm! this guy earns his CR28.


Fiendwurm
Size/Type: Gargantuan/Outsider
HD: 24d8+264 (Max:456 Avg:208 Min:360 )
Initiative: +9 (+5 dex, +4 improved init)
Speed: 60 ft., burrow 60 ft.
AC: 41 (-4 size, +5 dex, +40 natural armor)
Touch:15 Flat-Footed:36
BAB/Grapple: +24/+50 (+24 BAB, +13 str, +12 size)
Attack: Bite + 37 Melee attack 3d8+19
Full Attack: Bite + 37 Melee attack 3d8+19
Slam +32 Melee attack 2d8 +13
Space/Reach:20ft./20ft.
Special Attack: Death rift, demonic belch, improved grab,
swallow whole
Special Qualities: DR 15/-, SR 34, Fast healing 10, immune to mind affecting, Acidic hide, Acid immunity, Darkvisioin 60, low-light vision, portal, tremorsense,
Saves: Fort:+26 Ref:+19 Will:+18
Abi: Str:36+13 Dex:20+5 Con:30+10 Int:10 Wis:14+2 Cha:8-1
Skills: +40 Climb, +40 Swim, +29 Listen, +29 Spot, +40 Jump, +26 Intimidate, +29 survival, +32 escape artist
Feats: Improved Initiative, improved toughness, dodge, mobility, spring attack, iron will, great fort, combat reflexes, improved natural attack (Bite)
Environment: Any desert, plains, and underground
Organization: solitary or with trope (1d8 Vrocks)
CR: 28
Treasure: none
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Languages: none
Advancement: 25-72 HD (colossal)

A fiendwurm is the result of demonic magic applied to an
ordinary earthworm. This tormented monster is constantly
wracked with unbearable pain from the planar portal embedded in its belly. Eating relieves the creature’s pain for a short while, so it attempts to swallow any creature it encounters. Its tortured existence keeps it constantly on the hunt. A fiendwurm is a 40-foot-long, serpentine creature with a mottled gray and pink hide. Its huge maw is filled with long, snakelike fangs. The creature is never at rest; its intense pain causes it to writhe and squirm constantly. Fiendwurms are in such terrible agony that they are unable to communicate at all. The Abyssal side of the portal is stationary, so demons gather on the other side waiting for people that the fiendwurm swallowed to come through.

COMBAT
A fiendwurm immediately lunges to bite and swallow any
living creature it chances upon. If it seems to be overmatched, it uses its demonic belch ability to summon aid. A fiendwurm does not stop attacking until it is slain.

Death Rift (Su): Upon its death, a fiendwurm’s portal
implodes. Every creature within 50 feet of the fiendwurm
that fails a Reflex save (DC 31) is drawn into the collapsing
portal and transported to the Abyss. The implosion destroys the fiendwurm’s body along with the portal. Thus, any creatures transported to the Abyss via a death rift must find another means of returning to their original planes.

Demonic Belch (Su): Three times per day, a fiendwurm
can use its connection with the Abyss to bring demons
to its aid. It expels these creatures from its mouth with a great belching sound. The demons arrive unharmed, but the fiendwurm’s pain may cause it to attack them thereafter, if they seem to be easier prey than the opponents, or if there are no other creatures left to eat. Roll 1d10 to determine the kind of demons that arrive: 1-5 vrocks (1d8), 6-7 Glabrezu (1d6), 8-9 Marilith (1d4),10 Balor (only one). These demons cannot use their summoning abilities for one hour after being snatched out of the Abyss. Once a fiendwurm uses this ability, it must wait 1d4 rounds before using it again.

Improved Grab (Ex): If a fiendwurm hits an opponent that is at least one size category smaller than itself with a bite attack, it deals normal damage and attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity (grapple bonus +50). If it gets a hold, it can try to swallow the opponent in the next round. Alternatively, the fiendwurm has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use its jaws to hold the opponent (–20 penalty on grapple check, but the fiendwurm is not considered grappled). In either case, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals bite damage.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A fiendwurm can swallow a grabbed opponent that is at least two size categories smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check (grapple bonus +50). Once inside the fiendwurm, the opponent takes 2d8+13 points of bludgeoning damage and 1d8 points of acid damage per round from the creature’s gizzard. A successful grapple check allows the swallowed creature to climb out of the gizzard and return to the fiendwurm’s mouth, where another successful grapple check is needed to get free. Alternatively,a swallowed creature can try to cut its way out with either claws or a light piercing or slashing weapon. Dealing at least 25 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 20) in this way creates an opening large enough to permit escape. Once a single swallowed creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; thus, another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Gargantuan fiendwurm’s gizzard can hold 2 Huge, 8 Large, 32 Medium-size, or 128 Small or smaller creatures.

Acidic Hide (Ex): A fiendwurm produces a highly caustic mucus that coats its entire body. Touching its hide deals 3d6 points of acid damage to an organic creature or object, 5d8 points of acid damage to a metallic creature or object, or 1d10 points of acid damage to a stony creature (such as an earth elemental) or object. A gallon or more of water is needed to wash off the mucus.

Portal (Su): Lining the lowest part of the fiendwurm’s
gizzard is a portal to the Abyss that is activated by the presence of a living creature. A swallowed creature must make a Reflex save (DC 31) each round to avoid falling into or being squeezed through the portal., but the other side moves with the fiendwurm. If this portal is permanently closed, the fiendwurm instantly dies but does not implode.

Tremorsense (Ex): A fiendwurm can automatically
sense the location of anything within 120 feet that is in
contact with the ground.

[Master Spellblade]

Ok. I'll agree that the fiendwurm is underpowered. I personally think that the CR is a typo. It should be 18 not 28.

However, the one you've remade here still seems too weak. Only 41 AC? A level 28 Fighter with 18 Str and a +6 weapon would have a +34 Attack BEFORE any feats. If he also has Greater Weapon Focus and a Magic Str Boosting Item and Flanks It'll be even higher.

Let's break it down.

+24 Base, +4 Str, +6 Weapon, +2 Feats, +3 Boost Item, +2 Flanking = +41 Attack

I think you need to up it's hit dice some more, maybe say an extra 10, and raise it's AC somehow. Maybe the portal adds a +10 Deflection Bonus because of it's connection to Hell or something.

[Sargon]

i do infact agree. it is still lacking. however i belive that you were compleatly correct when you said that the CR was a typo.

however as sanity has never been my strong point (spelling is lacking too) we should keep this going and the fiendwurm will become a solid CR28!

as for the hit points and AC i looked at other things that have a similar CR.
the THREE-HEADED SIRRUSH is CR28 and has 1,102 HP and an AC of 50.
the PRISMASAURUS is a CR28 and has 870 hp and an AC of 55
the LESHAY is CR28 and has 828 HP and an ac of 52
while my fiendwurm is a CR28 and has 456 HP and an AC of 41

so it needs at least 400ish hp and 10 more AC.

and more attacks, but we can get to that later.