Making more D&D Chess Pieces

[kevin_video]

In Dragon Magazine 258 we're introduced to the Chaturani. They come from a lawful plane of existence that fight on chess boards, and move like chess pieces. They're essentially living constructs, much like warforged, but not quite. There are good, neutral, and evil pieces, and they're either white or black in colour. Further in the article, we learn that there are variant "pieces" that can be used in a chess battle.

I'll list them and their sources here:
Chaturani Set (DR258 p45+)
Pawn (8) CR 2
Knight (2) CR 4
Bishop (2) CR 5
Rook (2) CR 7
Queen (1) CR 9
King (1) CR 9

Beholder Set
Pawn - lurking stranglers (8) CR 2 (MM3 p101)
Knight - directors (2) CR 8 (LoM p137)
Bishop - eyes of the deep (2) CR 8 (LoM p138)
Rook - beholders (2) CR 13 (MM p26)
Queen - hive mother (1) CR 16 (LoM p135)
King - overseer (1) CR 15 (LoM p139)

Devil Set
Pawn - legion devils (8) CR 3 (FC2 p122)
Knight - narzugons riding nightmares (2) CR 5+5=EL 7 (FC2 p125 & MM p194)
Bishop - erinyes (2) CR 8 (MM p54)
Rook - bone devils/osyluths (2) CR 9 (MM p52-53)
Queen - Aspect of Fierna (1) CR 19 (FC2 p147)
King - Aspect of Belial (1) CR 21 (FC2 p146-147)

Githyanki Set
Pawn - githyanki warrior 1 (8) CR 1 (MM p127)
Knight - githyanki fighter 3 (2) CR 4
Bishop - githyanki gishes [fighter 1/wizard 3] (2) CR 5
Rook - duthka'gith fighter 5 (2) CR 7 (DUN 100/Poly 159)
Queen - githyanki lich-queen wizard 8 (1) CR 11
King - githyanki wizard 10 (1) CR 11

Illithid Set
Pawn - grimlock slaves (8) CR 1 (MM p140)
Knight - mind flayers (2) CR 8 (MM p187)
Bishop - brain golems (2) CR 10 (FF 85, 3.5 update p4, errata p1)
Rook - ulitharids (2) CR 12 (LoM p158)
Queen - alhoon (1) CR 18 (LoM p157)
King - mind flayer sorcerer 9 (1) CR 17 (MM p187)

Undead Set
Pawn - human skeleton warriors (8) CR 1/3 (MM p225)
Knight - swordwraiths fighter 3 (2) CR 5 (FF p173, 3.5 update p4)
Bishop - huecuvas cleric 4 (2) CR 6 (FF p94, 3.5 update p4)
Rook - vampires human fighter 5 (2) CR 7 (MM p250)
Queen - lich human wizard 11 (1) CR 13 (MM p166)
King - mummy lord cleric 10 (1) CR 15 (MM p190)

Yugoloth Set
Pawn - skeroloths (8) CR 3 (FF p197)
Knight - canoloths (2) CR 5 (MM3 p200)
Bishop - mezzoloths (2) CR 6 (MM3 p201)
Rook - piscoloths (2) CR 9 (FF p196, 3.5 update p4)
Queen - arcanaloth (1) CR 17 (MM2 p203, 3.5 update p10, errata p2)
King - ultroloth (1) CR 13 (MM3 p204)


As you may have noticed, there's no celestial set here. I found that rather odd. But there's gotta be other sets that are missing as well that I haven't noticed. However, they have to be lawful. It can be argued that there's no other sets because the Chaturani can just be representatives for those other groups. Like LG Chaturani for the celestials, or LN for the humanoids of the Material Plane. Regardless, I'm making this thread to make other "sets" for anyone who may wish to use this for a future game.

While I haven't refined it, I started up a LG celestial archon set. MMI and BoED are the sources.

Pawn - lantern archons (8) CR 2
Knight - hound archons (2) CR 4
Bishop - owl archon (2) CR 11
Rook - justice archon champion, paladin 6 (2) CR 12
Queen - trumpet archon (1) CR 14
King - hound archon hero, paladin 11 (1) CR 16

[Tshern]

Demons:
Pawn - Dretch (CR 2)
Knight - Hezrou (CR 11)
Bishop - Goristro (CR 16)
Rook - Marilith (CR 17)
Queen - Aspect of Malcanthet (CR 21)
King - Aspect of Graz'zt (CR 22)

[kevin_video]

I'd have to disagree on the Goristro for the demons. It's got no spells, and it's huge. It needs to have clerical or wizard spells (or SLA), and can't be any bigger than large. If the devils have an erinyes, then the demons would likely have a succubus. For the knight, the Armanite might make for a better choice.

[Catty Nebulart]

Not familiar with the magazine but here is my demon suggestion;

SRD Demon Set:
Pawn: Quasit (CR 2)
Knight: Succubus (CR 7); They do something different from everyone else, the knight moves differently.
Bishop: Vrock(CR 9)
Rook: Hezrou(CR 11)
Queen: Marilith(CR 17); A somewhat bad fit since the queen is supposed to be more mobile.
King: Balor (CR 20)

Also an all Succubus set:
Pawn: Succubus
Knight: Succubus, Marshal 4
Bishop: Succubus, Favored Soul 6
Rook: Succubus, Blackguard 7 + Crusader 1
Queen: Succubus, Scout 4 + Totemist 8
King: Succubus,  Dread Necromancer 14

[Tshern]

Erinyes don't cast spells and I don't brain golems do either. The size point is a good one. However, I think the king and queen got close enough, because devils have Lords of the Nine in those positions as well.

[kevin_video]

Spells or spell-like abilities, I said. Erinyes have SLA. Brain golems have their mind blasts and inertial armor. All bishops have some kind of SLA or supernatural ability that acts as a spell. For the most part, they're clerics or wizards. The brain golem seems to be the exception, minus the mage armor.

The devils have lords in their court, so demons having the same thing makes sense. However, all the pieces that were made so far were all lawful. It's not explained why that is. I guess anything chaotic would cheat.

[Tshern]

Point taken. I don't have access to the source for the guidelines of creating these chess pieces, so I didn't know SLAs were a requirement.

[kevin_video]

Point taken. I don't have access to the source for the guidelines of creating these chess pieces, so I didn't know SLAs were a requirement.

Ah. Fair enough.