2019-12-31

Monster: Great Arctic Slug

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Great Arctic Slug

A strange creature in all the hues of blue, reminiscent of a butterfly, multi-winged bird, or an exotic flower.


CR 1; XP 400
N Small Vermin (aquatic)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., blindsense 60 ft. (aquatic); Perception +1

Defense
AC 12, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+1 Dex, +1 size)
hp 13 (3d8)
Fort +3; Ref +2; Will +2
Defensive Abilities contact poison; Immune vermin poison; Resist cold 5, fire 5

Offense
Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee 4 slams +2 (1d4–1 plus poison)
Special Attacks poison 

Statistics
Str 8, Dex 12, Con 10, Int —, Wis 13, Cha 3
Base Atk +2; CMB +0; CMD 11 (can't be tripped)
Skills Perception +1, Stealth +5 (+13 in water or on ice), Swim +6; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth in water or on ice
SQ semi-amphibious

Ecology
Environment arctic waters
Organization solitary, pair
Treasure none

Special Abilities


Contact Poison (Ex) Creatures that touch or strike a great arctic slug with unarmed or natural attack are exposed to its poison.

Poison (Ex) Slam—injury; save Fort 11; frequency 1/hour for 6 hours; effect 1 Dex damage, –2 penalty to all ability and skill checks requiring focus and patience, severe pain forces concentration checks on actions that require concentration as if suffering continuous damage; cure 1 save. Animals are normally repelled after the initial exposure to severe pain caused by great arctic slug poison. They rarely attack great arctic slug again after such experience.

Semi-Amphibious (Ex) Unlike their smaller kin, great arctic slugs can survive out of water for one hour without ill effects. They can survive on land for a day when kept moist with fresh water, or indefinitely with salt water.


Great arctic slugs are bigger, slightly more dangerous kin to blue sea slugs. They are adapted to wider range of environments, living closer to both glaciers and thermal vents. As they age, they can grow even bigger.

Medium great arctic slug (CR 4) has AC 14, 7 HD, 38 hp, Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +3, Str 12, Dex 10, Con 12, attack bonus +6, deals 1d6+1 points of damage per hit. Its poison has saving throw DC of 14.

Large great arctic slug (CR 6) has AC 18, 11 HD, 71 hp, Fort +9, Ref +2, Will +4, Str 16, Dex 8, Con 14, attack bonus of +10, deals 1d8+3 damage per hit. Its poison has saving throw DC of 17.

Huge great arctic slug (CR 10) has AC 22, 15 HD, 112 hp, Fort +12, Ref +3, Will +6, Str 20, Dex 6, Con 16, attack bonus of +14, deals 2d6+5 damage per hit. Its poison has saving throw DC of 20.

Great arctic slugs can also be bound by spellcasters to act as improved familiars (minimum caster level 3), though they never grow beyond their Small size. Their master becomes immune to contact poison of great arctic slugs.


2019-12-30

Monster: Winter-Shell

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Winter-Shell

An enormous tortoise made of glacial ice.


CR 12; XP 19,200
N Colossal Outsider (cold, elemental)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +31

Defense
AC 27, touch 2, flat-footed 27 (+25 natural, —8 size)
hp 171 (18d10+72)
Fort +13; Ref +8; Will +15
Defensive Abilities steam cloud; DR 20/adamantine and magic; Immune daze, cold, elemental traits, stagger, slow
Weakness vulnerable to fire

Offense
Speed 30 ft., burrow 30 ft. (snow and ice only); lumbering
Melee bite +20 (3d6+10 and grab), 2 stomps +20 (2d6+10 and trip)
Space 30 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (bite 15 ft.)
Special Attacks fast swallow, freezing breath (DC 23, 10d6 cold, entangled), swallow whole (6d6 cold, AC 22, 16 hp, hardness 8), trample (2d6+15, DC 29)


Statistics
Str 30, Dex 10, Con 18, Int 1, Wis 17, Cha 3
Base Atk +18; CMB +36 (+40 grapple); CMD 46 (50 vs. trip)
Feats Blind-Fight, Diehard, Endurance, Great Fortitude, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Vital Strike, Lightning Reflexes, Skill Focus (Perception), Vital Strike
Skills Perception +31

Ecology
Environment arctic, mountain glaciers
Organization solitary
Treasure standard

Special Abilities


Freezing Breath (Su) A winter-shell can breathe a 60-ft. cone of freezing steam, dealing 10d6 points of cold damage and freezing the affected creatures to the ground (acting as entangled). A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 23) halves the damage and leaves the creatures entangled for single round without being stuck to the ground. Frozen creatures can free or be freed by 10 points of fire damage, or a Strength or Escape Artist check (DC 23). The saving throw DC is Constitution-based.

Lumbering (Ex) A mighty winter-shell moves through difficult terrain and minor obstacles without problems, and it cannot be dazed, entangled, slowed, or staggered, or have its movement impaired.

Steam Cloud (Su) When a winter-shell is struck with acid, electricity, or fire damage, parts of its icy shell evaporate quickly, dealing half of the received damage to all creatures within 60 feet spread. Until the beginning of winter-shell's next turn, all the creatures within the cloud have concealment.


Winter-shells are ancient ice elementals that live among glaciers and arctic zones. They tend to aggressively protect their territories, and are occasionally hunted for beautiful pearls and exotic looking ice formations that can be sometimes salvaged from their bodies—both due to their aesthetic and magical value.


2019-12-29

Monster: Porcupivy

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Porcupivy

A stocky creature resembling a brown, eight-legged badger, covered with a mass of long, sharp, green spines.


CR 5; XP 1,600
N Small Plant
Init +2; Senses low-light vision; tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +10

Defense
AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +5 natural, +1 size)
hp 52 (7d8+21)
Fort +8; Ref +4; Will +4
Defensive Abilities ball of spines, spiny hide; Immune plant traits

Offense
Speed 20 ft., burrow 20 ft.
Melee bite +8 (1d4+2)
Ranged 4 spines +8 (1d3+2 plus piercing entanglement)

Statistics
Str 14, Dex 14, Con 16, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 3
Base Atk +5; CMB +6; CMD 18 (30 vs. trip)
Skills Perception +10, Stealth +14, Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +8 Stealth

Ecology
Environment warm forests, plains
Organization solitary, pair, pack (3–6)
Treasure incidental

Special Abilities


Ball Of Spines (Ex) A porcupivy can roll into a defensive ball while pelting nearby enemies with volleys of its spines. When a porcupivy takes a total defense action, until the start of its following turn it can make unlimited number of attacks of opportunity with its spines within 30 feet range. It cannot make attacks of opportunity against targets that it can't detect with its tremorsense.

Spines (Ex) A porcupivy can make ranged attack with its spines against opponents within 60 ft., launching one spine as a standard attack, or up to four spines as a full-round attack. Once a spine hits its target, it embeds itself in the flesh and coils around the victim, bestowing entangled condition and dealing 1 point of bleed damage per round. The spine can be removed as a standard action with a Strength, Dexterity, Heal, or Profession (gardening) skill check against DC 16, or exposure to any effect heals wounds or kills plants.

Spiny Hide (Ex) A porcupivy is covered with spines. Anyone making an unarmed or natural attack against a porcupivy suffers a spine hit.


Porcupivies are vicious balls of spines on eight legs, originally grown from magical ivies to resemble porcupines. No one is sure why their creator decided to make them that way, but once they spread, it was too late to change anything about it.

Giant Poison Porcupivies (CR 7) have giant and advanced templates. Their spines cause sickened condition in creatures that are not immune to poison.


2019-12-22

Monster: Thunderwolf

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Thunderwolf

A massive, wolf-like beast with particularly large jaws, throat, and chest.


CR 6; XP 2,400
N Large Magical Beast
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +14

Defense
AC 19, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 73 (7d10+35)
Fort +9, Ref +9, Will +5
Immune deafness; Resist electricity 10, sonic 10

Offense
Speed 50 ft.
Melee bite +11 (2d6+6 plus 3d6 sonic)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.
Special Attacks thunder-bite, thunder-howl

Statistics
Str 18, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 17, Cha 11
Base Atk +7; CMB +12; CMD 26 (30 vs. trip)
Feats EnduranceB, Improved Initiative, Run, Toughness, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Acrobatics +10 (+18 leaping), Perception +14, Racial Modifiers +4 Perception
SQ savage tracker

Ecology
Environment moderate forests, hills
Organization solitary, pair, pack (3–6)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities


Thunder-Bite (Su) A thunderwolf's bite strikes with the promise of thunder, dealing additional 3d6 points of sonic damage and causing deafness for 1 round.

Thunder-Howl (Su) A thunderwolf can issue a thunderous roar as a standard action. All creatures within 30 feet suffer 6d6 points of sonic damage, become deafened for 1 minute, and staggered for 1 round. A successful Fortitude saving throw (DC 17) halves the damage, negates staggered condition, and reduces deafness duration to 1 round. A thunderwolf can howl once every 1d4+1 rounds. Thunderwolves are immune to thunder-howls of their pack-mates. The saving throw DC is Constitution-based.

Savage Tracker (Ex) Thunderwolves can use their Perception skill to follow tracks, and they gain Endurance as a bonus feat.


Thunderwolves are massive, wolf-like predators that roar carries the might of thunders. Not terribly subtle predators, they usually hunt in packs, trying to surround their prey and harry it toward each other with their thunder-howls, often chasing particularly tenacious game for hours or days.


2019-12-15

Monster: Ratzilla

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Ratzilla

An enormous, many-headed rat, the size of a small barn. Its heads are disproportionally small for its size, and hundreds, if not thousands of even smaller rats crawl over its massive body.


CR 14; XP 38,400
N Gargantuan Magical Beast
Init +10; Senses darkvision 120 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +30
Aura all-consuming swarm (1000 ft.)

Defense

AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 18 (+5 deflection, +8 Dex, +10 natural, –4 size)
hp 202 (15d10+120)
Fort +17, Ref +17, Will +12
Defensive Abilities all-around vision, swarming hide; Immune disease

Offense
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee 4 bites +22 (2d4+11 plus disease, 18–20/×2)
Space 20 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks critical effects, piercing bite
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +25)
Constant—greater magic fang, shield of faith

Statistics
Str 22, Dex 26, Con 26, Int 2, Wis 25, Cha 15
Base Atk +15; CMB +25; CMD 41 (45 vs. trip)
Feats Bleeding Critical, Blind-Fight, Blinding Critical, Combat Reflexes, Critical Focus, Improved Initiative, Sickening Critical, Staggering Critical
Skills Acrobatics +14 (+18 leaping), Climb +14, Perception +30, Stealth +24, Swim +14; Racial Modifiers +10 Perception, +30 Stealth
SQ compression

Ecology
Environment ruins, underground
Organization solitary, usually accompanied by a significant number of dire rats and rat swarms
Treasure standard

Special Abilities


All-Consuming Swarm (Su) A ratzilla mere presence empowers nearby rats and rat-like beings, granting them insight bonus to attack rolls, weapon damage rolls (including swarm damage), saving throws, skill checks, and AC, equal to 11–their CR (minimum +1). Ratzilla can communicate telepathically with rats, coordinating their attacks with a predatory cunning.

Critical Effects (Ex) A ratzilla's array of critical feats allows it to produce one of the following effects on each critical: a stacking 2d6 bleed, permanent blindness (dazzled for 1d4+1 rounds on Fort DC 25 instead), sickened for 1 minute, or staggered for 1d4+1 rounds (Fort DC 25 reduces to 1 round).

Disease (Ex) Consuming filth fever: Bite—injury; save Fort DC 25; onset 1d3 hours; frequency 1/hour; effect 1d3 Dex damage and 1d3 Con damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Piercing Bite (Su) Ratzilla's bites pierce damage reduction and suspend regeneration as if they were adamantine, chaotic, cold iron, evil, good, lawful, and silver weapon. They ignore 5 points of DR/— and 10 points of hardness, and have a natural critical range of 18–20.

Swarming Hide (Ex) Multitude of rats constantly swarms over the ratzilla body. Any special effect that requires a touch attack roll has a 50% chance of hitting one of the rats instead of the ratzilla. Full-strength physical attacks are not blocked by this ability, as they simply squash the rat and go through to affect the ratzilla, though the ratzilla gains 2d6 temporary hit points at the start of its turn that last until the beginning of its following turn.


"Good Sir, we have a rat problem..."
"Bah! Don't bother me with such trivialities, stupid peasant! I have gone far past gathering dozens of damned rat tails for a few meager coppers! Go find yourself  some raggamuffins desperate for such lowly work!"
"But Sir..."
"I said go away... Wait... Why is the inn shaking?!"
"That's the rat we have problem with, Sir."


2019-12-08

Monster: Tristag

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Tristag

A big, majestic stag with three heads and eight legs. Between enormous horns of each head eerie flames glow.


CR 10; XP 9,600

N Large Magical Beast
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +18

Defense

AC 24, touch 14, flat-footed 19 (+5 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
hp 138 (12d10+72)
Fort +13, Ref +13, Will +9
Immune dazzle; SR 21

Offense
Speed 60 ft.
Melee 3 gore +17 (2d6+5 plus blinding radiance, 19–20/×2), 2 hooves +14 (1d4+2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with gore attacks)
Special Attacks blinding radiance, revealing radiance, three-headed charge

Statistics
Str 20, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 11, Wis 17, Cha 17
Base Atk +12; CMB +18; CMD 33 (45 vs. trip)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (gore), Iron Will, Multiattack, Toughness, Weapon Focus (gore)
Skills Acrobatics +20 (+32 leaping), Perception +18
Languages Sylvan (doesn't speak)
SQ woodland stride

Ecology
Environment forests
Organization solitary, pair
Treasure standard

Special Abilities


Blinding Radiance (Su) When a tristag hits an enemy with one of its gore attacks, the target becomes blinded by the eerie light glowing between the horns for 1d4+1 rounds. A successful Reflex saving throw (DC 19) renders them dazzled for 1 round instead. Duration of blindness and dazzle conditions from multiple strikes stacks. This is a light effect that passes through soft vegetation without obstruction. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Revealing Radiance (Su) As a full-round action, a tristag can bay, stomp its hooves, and release a burst of multi-hued light from its crowns, producing a dome with 120-ft. radius. All the creatures within the area are outlined with a faerie fire that lasts for 2d6 hours.

Three-headed Charge (Ex) A charging tristag can make gore attacks at up to three adjacent targets within its reach at the end of its charge.

Woodland Stride (Ex) A tristag moves through any sort of natural undergrowth at full speed without suffering damages or any other impairment. It can also ignore difficult terrain caused by magical manipulation of vegetation and suffers half the damage from such effects.


Tristags are majestic creatures living in the depths of the forests, protective of their territory and aggressive toward the intruders that would disrupt the natural order of things there.


2019-12-01

Monster: Dracomantid

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Dracomantid

A giant mantis with a black patterns on its carapace and strange sack-like structures on its neck.


CR 8; XP 4,800

N Large Vermin
Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +24

Defense

AC 21, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+6 Dex, +6 natural, –1 size)
hp 105 (10d8+60)
Fort +13, Ref +9, Will +7
Defensive Abilities murderous affect, evasion; Resist acid 30

Offense
Speed 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 50 ft. (poor)
Melee 2 claws +14 (2d6+8 plus grab, 19–20/×2)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon (60 ft. line, 10d6 acid, Reflex DC 21 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds), caustic mandibles (2d6 acid), sudden strike

Statistics
Str 26, Dex 22, Con 22, Int 1, Wis 15, Cha 11
Base Atk +7; CMB +16 (+20 grapple); CMD 32 (40 vs. trip)
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (claws), Improved Initiative, Iron Will
Skills Climb +16, Fly +0, Perception +24, Stealth +14; Racial Modifiers +12 Perception, +12 Stealth

Ecology
Environment temperate and warm forests
Organization solitary, pair
Treasure standard

Special Abilities


Caustic Mandibles (Ex) A dracomantid can deal 3d6 points of acid damage to creature it is grappling as a free action once per turn.

Murderous Affect (Ex) Dracomantids react to charms with the lethal grace of their tiny kin, trying to show their feelings by relentlessly tracking and attacking the creature that charmed them. A confused dracomantid always attack the nearest random creature. Using wild empathy and Handle Animal (combined with abilities that allow using them on vermin) on them suffers additional –4 penalty. Failing any such check prompts the dracomantid to attack.

Sudden Strike (Ex) A dracomantid can take a full round of actions during the surprise round.


Dracomantids are dangerous predators of forests and jungles, possibly related to, or evolved (naturally or magically) from giant mantises. They owe their name to their ability to spit corrosive acids, reminiscent of draconic abilities, though they are probably not related to dragons in any other way. A few sages do believe they might be descendant from half-dragon giant mantises but others find it unlikely that even dragons would show carnal interest in those dire insects...