Monster: Bearded Serpentworm

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Bearded Serpentworm

A monstrous serpentine beast, covered in scales and bony plates. Where it jaw should be, a mane of tendrils writhes.

CR 11; XP 12,800
N Huge Magical Beast
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, thoughtsense 60 ft.; Perception +21

Defense
AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 20 (+5 Dex, –2 size, +12 natural)
hp 147 (14d10+70)
Fort +14; Ref +14; Will +10
Immune mental ability damage, drain, and penalties, mind-affecting effects

Offense
Speed 50 ft., burrow 30 ft.
Melee stinger +19 (6d6+7 plus neurotoxin) or tail slap +20 (4d6+7 plus trip), tendrils +14 touch (neural drain)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks tail sweep

Statistics
Str 24, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 19, Cha 13
Base Atk +14; CMB +23; CMD 38 (can't be tripped)
Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (tail-slap)
Skills Perception +21
SQ no breath

Ecology
Environment underground
Organization solitary, pair
Treasure incidental

Special Abilities

Neural Drain (Su) A living, non-mindless creature touched by a bearded serpentworm tendrils falls into a strange fugue state on a failed Will saving throw (DC 18) becoming dazed. At the beginning of each of their turns, the victims can make another Will saving throw to recover from this state. Creatures that spend three continuous rounds in this state become fatigued. After spending a total of five rounds in this state, victims become exhausted, and after seven rounds, they drop unconscious until subject to heal or comparable effects capable of healing permanent brain damage. This is a mind-affecting effect. The saving throw DC is Charisma-based.

Neurotoxic Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 22, frequency 1/round for 3 rounds, effect 1d3 Int, Wis, and Cha damage, cure 1 save. Bearded serpentworm's poison wrecks havoc with the victim's brain and makes them more susceptible to the neural drain attack. The saving throw DC is Constitution based.

Tail Sweep (Ex) As a full-round attack, a bearded serpentworm can sweep its tail, making single tail slap attack against everyone within its reach.


Bearded serpentworms are monstrous invertebrates covered in scaly carapaces that seem to feed on psychic energies of living creatures. They show cunning of animal predators, though all the divinations read them as completely mindless vermin and they don't respond to communication attempts. While they don't seem to be hurt by water, they avoid it at all costs, even if it means abandoning their hunt on weakened prey.

Bearded serpentworms try to affect multiple creatures with their neural drain, never attacking creatures that are already dazed or unconscious. Neither they attack creatures that are hidden from their thoughtsense, though they will defend when attacked by such creatures.  They stop their attacks and leave after multiple creatures spend extended number of rounds dazed by their neural drain (typical a total of 10 rounds per serpentworm, though larger specimen seemingly need longer periods to sate their psychic hungers).