Friday, April 5, 2013

Euphonic Kaida (Frightful Fridays! A-Z!)

Here is an actual Friday Frightful Fridays! creature for you, and a new kaida lands in the familiar spot. I liked the idea of having a spellcaster diversify to get the leaf kaida, especially since it seemed fitting for a druidic character to obtain one. Continuing on that theme, today's euphonic kaida is an attractive option for bards, and the bonus bardic masterpiece assumes that a bard has one of these tiny dragons accompanying the bard to create a destructive sonic boom.

Thanks go to Theodric for today's find! I hope you enjoy today's entry, and I'll be back tomorrow for the "F"inal monster of the week. Thank you for reading!



This little dragon with bright red wings whistles a pleasant tune as it perches on a thin reed.
Euphonic Kaida CR 2
XP 600
NG Tiny dragon
Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8


Defense

AC 17, touch 15, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size)

hp 22 (3d12+3)

Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +6
Immune magic paralysis and sleep, dragon traits; Resist sonic 10

Offense
Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee bite +8 (1d3–2), 2 claws +8 (1d2–2)
Special Attacks bardic performance, breath weapon (30-ft. cone, 2d6 sonic damage, Reflex half DC 14 [includes +2 racial bonus], usable every1d4 rounds)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 3rd; concentration +7)
3/day—hypnotism (DC 15)

Statistics
Str 7, Dex 16, Con 12, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 19
Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 12 (16 vs. trip)
Feats Skill Focus (Perform [wind]), Weapon Finesse
Skills Bluff +14, Diplomacy +14, Fly +17, Knowledge (local) +7, Perception +8, Perform (wind) +14, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +6; Racial Modifiers +4 Bluff, +4 Diplomacy, +4 Perform (wind)
Languages Common, Draconic
SQ attune to instrument

Ecology
Environment any fields or urban
Organization solitary, pair, ensemble (3–8)
Treasure standard

Special Abilities
Attune to Instrument (Su) Similarly to other kaida, a euphonic kaida can bond with an instrument. If the kaida does so, and it goes dormant, the instrument takes on a draconic motif, whether the instrument features the kaida’s image along a prominent part of the instrument, or a scaly appearance, or some other indicator that the instrument belongs to the kaida. While bonded, a kaida grants a +4 enhancement bonus to Perform checks with the instrument. A euphonic kaida can only attune to one instrument at a time, and the attunement process requires one week.
Bardic Performance (Su) A euphonic kaida can use its Perform (wind) skill to duplicate any bardic performance available to a 3rd-level bard; it can use this ability for a number of rounds per day equal to 8 + its Charisma modifier (and for an additional 2 rounds per day for every Hit Die beyond 3). A euphonic kaida uses its Hit Dice in place of the bard level to determine save DCs and other effects, and any bardic performance relying on visual components has its range halved. Otherwise, this ability works like a bard’s bardic performance.

A euphonic kaida travels wherever pleasant sounds take it, whether those sounds originate from a concerto of crickets or they come from a creature playing an instrument. Once it finds a gifted musician, it typically stays with that person and bonds with the musician’s favorite instrument. The dragon measures 10 inches from snout to 4-inch-long tail tip and weighs roughly 1 pound.

A euphonic kaida is extremely gregarious, and it seeks to bring the joy of music to everyone it meets. It prefers to devise a diplomatic solution when it meets a hostile creature, resorting to trickery if that fails, and then falling back on its sonic breath weapon if trickery fails. An unbonded kaida makes its presence known at halls hosting concerts and accompanies the concerts, usually adding a new dimension to the performance (at least in the dragon’s mind). In the wild, a euphonic kaida accompanies cicadas, crickets, and other creatures that create their own peculiar melodies. Rarely, the creature can be seen accompanying a satyr, but most satyrs grow irritated with what they see as the dragon’s interference.

A spellcaster can choose a euphonic kaida as a familiar. The spellcaster must be at least caster level 6th, have the bardic performance class ability, have the Improved Familiar feat, and provide a masterwork instrument with which the kaida can bond. The kaida can use its bardic performance ability independently, or extend its master’s bardic performance by expending two rounds of its ability for every round it extends the performance.


--------------------

Triumph of the Dragon (Wind, Sing)
Your powerful performance and accompaniment by your companion dragon allow you to tap into a primal, destructive sound.
Prerequisite: Perform (sing) 9 ranks.
Cost: Feat or 3rd-level bard spell known.
This ancient song performed by dragons going to war against other dragons culminates in a cry of expectant triumph that deafens and harms foes who hear it. When you and your euphonic kaida complete the performance, you can unleash a primal scream at any point within 10 minutes of finishing the performance. When you do so, you deal 8d6 points of sonic damage to every creature in a 30-foot radius centered on you (Fortitude save for half). A creature that fails its Fortitude save is deafened for 3d6 rounds. You can exclude a number of creatures equal to your Charisma modifier.
Use: 8 rounds of bardic performance (any of which can come from the euphonic kaida; you must provide at least one round).
Action: 8 rounds (reduced by 1 round, to a minimum of 4, for every round the bard and the kaida perform together).