Concordant creatures are creatures either influenced by the energies of the neutral planes - the planes of concordance - , by forces opposed to their original alignment (but not strong enough to shift them to the other side of the spectrum), or by their own indifference or feelings of futility with regard to their alignment.

No matter the purpose, a concordant creature is a creature that has been influenced by the forces of Balance and Neutrality, becoming neutral in alignment, behavior, and even appearance. Concordant creatures tend to pale in color in comparison to their counterparts, taking on hues of gray, silver, or any pastel color.

“Concordant” is an inherited template that can be added to any creature (referred to hereafter as the “base creature”) that doesn’t already possess the concordant template. A concordant creature has all the base creature’s characteristics except as noted here.

Type: A concordant creature’s type remains unchanged, unless it was an animal or vermin before. It becomes a magical beast in this case. A concordant creature loses all alignment-specific subtypes.

Special Attacks: A concordant creature retains all the special attacks of the base creature with the exception of alignment-specific supernatural abilities and spell-like abilities that emulate spells with an alignment descriptor. It gains the following special attack:

Merciful Blow (Ex): A concordant creature can deal nonlethal damage with an otherwise lethal attack without taking a –4 penalty.

Spell-like Abilities: A concordant creature with an Intelligence or Wisdom score of 8 or higher has spell-like abilities as shown in the table below. The abilities are cumulative; a concordant creature with 4 HD can use detect chaos, detect evil, detect good and detect law as well as calm emotions. Unless otherwise noted, an ability is usable once per day. Caster level equals the creature’s HD, and the save DC is Charisma-based.

Special Qualities: A concordant creature retains all the special qualities of the base creature with the exception of alignment-specific supernatural abilities and spell-like abilities that emulate spells with an alignment descriptor. The creature gains the following qualities:

• Damage reduction (see the table below)
• Resistance to cold, fire, and sonic (see the table below)
• Spell resistance equal to HD + 5 (maximum 25). A concordant creature gains a +5 racial bonus on spell resistance against spells and spell-like effects with an alignment descriptor.
• Immunity to any smite effect, even if it is directed against an alignment component the creature still possesses or against no alignment at all.

If the base creature already has one or more of these qualities, use the better value.

A concordant creature never has an alignment-specific damage reduction. Any damage reduction of this kind changes to /magic. If any weapons count as aligned if wielded by the base creature, those weapons wielded by the concordant creature overcome any alignment-based damage reduction.

Additionally, if a concordant creature possesses damage reduction, its natural weapons are treated as magical weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Abilities: Concordant creatures are usually more enlightened than their normal kin, so they gain a +2 bonus to their Intelligence and Wisdom scores

Feats: A concordant creature gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a bonus feat.

Environment: Same as the base creature

Organization: Solitary or same as the base creature

Challenge Rating: HD 3 or less: Same as the base creature; HD 4 to 7: Same as the base creature +1; HD 8 or more: Same as the base creature +2;

Treasure: Same as the base creature

Alignment: Always neutral (any)

Advancement: Same as the base creature

Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +3

This example uses an hezrou demon as the base creature.

Concordant Hezrou

Large Outsider (Extraplanar, Tanar’ri)

Hit Dice: 10d8+93 (138 hp)

Initiative: +0

Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)

Armor Class: 23 (-1 size, +14 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 23

Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+19

Attack: Bite +14 melee (4d4+5)

Full Attack: Bite +14 melee (4d4+5) and 2 claws +9 melee (1d8+2)

Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.

Special Attacks: Merciful blow, spell-like abilities, stench, improved grab, summon tanar’ri

Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/magic, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity, poison and smiting, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, fire 10, and sonic 10, spell resistance 19 (24 against spells and spell-like effects with an alignment descriptor), telepathy 100 ft.

Saves: Fort +16; Ref +7; Will +10

Abilities: Str 21, Dex 10, Con 29, Int 16, Wis 16, Cha 18

Skills: Climb +18, Concentration +22, Hide +9, Escape Artist +13, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (the planes) +16, Listen +24, Move Silently +13, Search +16, Spellcraft +16 Spot +24, Survival +3 (+5 following tracks or to survive on other planes), Use Rope +0 (+2 with bindings)

Feats: Blind-Fight, Cleave, Improved Unarmed StrikeB, Power Attack, Toughness

Environment: Infinite Layers of the Abyss

Organization: Solitary or gang (2 – 4)

Challenge Rating: 13

Treasure: Standard

Alignment: Always chaotic neutral

Advancement: 11 – 15 HD (Large); 16 – 30 HD (Huge)

Level Adjustment: +9

If exposed to true neutrality, even a demon can over time neglect true evil and become a concordant creature. Most demons revile and shun their concordant kin, punishing and ostracizing it as weak and “traitorous”, but concordant demons as mighty as hezrou can make their stand because their natural attacks deeply pierce other demon’s damage reduction. Some demon lords, however, secretly value a concordant demon’s services, because they also can easily overcome the damage reduction of almost any of the tanar’ri’s most hated enemies, the baatezu.

Concordant hezrou are often tired of melee combat but still rely on melee most if forced into combat, simply because of capability. Stripped off of most their spell-like abilities by becoming concordant, concordant hezrou still can make use of a targeted dispel magic to annihilate an opponents magical bonuses and calm emotions to stop raging creatures and negate morale bonuses. The demon’s detect spells might help him to discover targets for a dismissal spell and to detect opponents that fight under magical compulsion, perfect targets for its break enchantment ability to possibly get some unexpected allies.

A concordant hezrou’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, overcome any alignment-based damage reduction. Its natural attacks count as magical weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a hezrou must hit with both claw attacks. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Spell-like abilities: At will – greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only); 3/day – gaseous form. Caster level 13th. The save DCs are Charisma based. The following spell-like abilities are caster level 10th: 1/day – break enchantment, calm emotions, detect chaos, detect evil, detect good, detect law, dismissal, dispel magic

Stench (Ex): A concordant hezrou’s skin produces a foul-smelling toxic liquid whenever it fights. Any living creature (except other demons) within 10 feet must succeed on a DC 24 Fortitude save or be nauseated for as long as it remains within the affected area and for 1d4 rounds afterward. Creatures that successfully save are sickened for as long as they remain in the area. A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected by the same hezrou’s stench for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes either condition from one creature. Creatures that have immunity to poison are unaffected., and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills: Concordant hezrous have a +8 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.