True Solar

If you think about it, the names of some of the angels suggest a certain type of guardianship. A planetar, for instance, would be the guardian of a planet. A solar would be the guardian of a solar system. The trouble with this, of course, is that they simply aren't powerful enough to be the sole guardian of a star or a planet. That's why high level games often speak of dealing with large numbers of them. And after all, a solar is to be matched with pit fiends and balors, and we know there are lots of those available to attack at once. So multiple solars are needed in those situations.

Not this solar. This is a solar fully advanced according to the rules in the Immortal's Handbook, which provides a system for upgrading more than just BAB, saves, and hit points when advancing an outsider. Armor class, DR, SR, regeneration, and a bunch of other items are given a boost, in addition to a handful of nice divine abilities. In fact, a solar thus advanced is an intermediate deity equivalent!

Threats to the solar system? Bring 'em on.

Statblock

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Description

Standing nearly twenty feet tall and weighing roughly two tons, True Solars tower over most mortals. Their deep, booming voices echo across the hills, and are commanding enough to be able to reach into the soul. Holy Battle Commander of an entire solar system, True Solars were made to lead, and tend to assume a very lofty attitude.

Attuned to the star they are assigned to, it appears as if the sun is always right behind their heads, no matter what angle you look upon them from. This light follows them everywhere, no matter where they go, or what form they appear in (such as via the Change Shape ability), meaning that they aren't ones for blending into a crowd.

Few evil beings even approach a True Solar's might and majesty. Even Demonic Princes and Lords cannot withstand their might, which keeps them at bay. It would take the entire armies of the Abyss combined to successfully get past a True Solar's watch, and luckily, the Blood War tends to mean that they're too distracted fighting themselves to be able to muster such a force. Guarding the pathways between Hell, the Abyss, and the Prime Material plane is the major duty of True Solars. Only small threats ever slip by, and lesser angels and heroes tend to be able to manage those threats. However, if a Nether Monarch or Emperor were to arise, only then would there be real cause for alarm.

Abilities

Change Shape (Su): A true solar can assume the form of any Large or Medium humanoid.

Divine Rank 13 (Su): True Solars are effectively Intermediate Deities and possess 13 divine ranks. They add their divine rank to armor class; attack rolls; checks (ability checks, caster level checks, skill checks, turning checks);difficulty class (for any special abilities, spell-like abilities, spells); initiative; saving throws and spell resistance. This bonus is already factored into the above statistics.

Force Field (Su): A True Solar can create a personal force field (similar to a wall of force) that stops 50 hit points of physical damage (whether that damage came from mundane or magical sources does not matter). It should be noted that this ability prevents any special attacks that accompany an attack provided the entire amount of damage of the attack is blocked. This force field regenerates its protection at a rate of 1 point per round.

Greater Sunburn (Su): A true solar is linked to the Positive Energy plane and can channel harmful energy from it in various forms of attack. This energy is particularly harmful to undead, but it is so concentrated as to be deadly to the living as well. The number of dice depends upon the chart below, but the type of die used depends on what is being hit. All living enemies take d4 positive energy damage. Undead are dealt d8 positive energy damage instead, and creatures particularly vulnerable to sunlight (such as vampires and spectres) take d12 damage.

The true solar can focus this burst in a variety of different ways. When a saving throw is available, the DC is 54 for half damage.

Beam (Ranged Touch, 3040 ft., no save): 66 dice

Blast (190 ft. radius, 3040 ft., ref save): 33 dice

Blood (Anyone injuring the solar in melee, no save): 16 dice

Breath (190 ft. Cone or 760 ft. Line, ref save): 66 dice

Hand (Melee Touch, no save): 132 dice

Immolation (On the Solar's death, within aura, ref save): 132 dice

Storm (Anyone within aura, ref save): 16 dice

Strike (Melee Weapon hit, no save): 16 dice

Wrath (190 ft. gaze, ref save): 33 dice

The effect never harms those friendly to the solar, no matter the area of the effect.

Integrated Cleric Levels: True Solars have 42 integrated cleric levels, using the Sun, Air, and War domains, and all the abilities of such. They have 17 turn attempts per day.

Lament of the Sun (Ex): During the night, or in any location dominated by darkness, true solars suffer a -13 divine penalty to all die rolls.

Protective Aura (Su): Against attacks made or effects created by evil creatures, this ability provides a +4 deflection bonus to AC and a +4 resistance bonus on saving throws to anyone within 20 feet of the angel. Otherwise, it functions as a magic circle against evil effect and a lesser globe of invulnerability, both with a radius of 20 feet (CL 66). This aura can be dispelled, but the angel can create it again as a free action on its next turn. (The defensive benefits from the circle are not included in an angel’s statistics block.)

Radiant Brethren (Su): Any light or positive energy-based creatures summoned by a true solar have 50% more hit dice than usual.

Sun Blessed (Su): True Solars gain a +13 competence bonus on attack rolls, damage rolls, and armor class so long as the sun is shining on them. This bonus is not already added to the statistic block above.

Design Notes

Solars seem to have 3/4 natural armor progression (and round up!), so I used that instead of 1/1, 1/2, or 1/4, suggested in the IH.

The Solar here has been given only its two iconic artifacts, and nothing else. Instead, he gets three esoteric abilities, and nine extra divine abilities.