Monday, October 16, 2017

Frightful Fridays! Monster Mayhem! Great Wight Shark

An undead creature was long overdue for the fifth anniversary celebration, but the great wight shark (no, I can't apologize for that pun) needed some time before making its entrance. It amps up the fictionalized murderousness of the great white shark and adds some fun undead-centric abilities. If PCs aren't careful, this thing will keep coming back to haunt them too.

I hope you enjoy the great wight shark. Tomorrow brings yet another monster!




This enormous shark is missing chunks of flesh, but that makes it no less dangerous.
Great Wight Shark      CR 15
XP 51,200
CE Huge undead (aquatic)
Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., keen scent, lifesense; Perception +14
DEFENSE
AC 30, touch 8, flat-footed 30 (+22 natural, –2 size)
hp 209 (22d8+110); fast healing 5
Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +13
Defensive Abilities channel resistance +8, evasion, profane avoidance, unholy resilience; DR 15/good and slashing; Immune undead traits
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., swim 60 ft.
Melee bite +26 (6d6+22/19–20 plus 4d6 negative energy damage, bleed, energy drain, and grab)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks bleed (1d4 Con), create spawn, energy drain (2 levels, DC 26), fast swallow, swallow whole (6d6 negative energy damage, AC 21, 20 hp)
STATISTICS
Str 33, Dex 10, Con —, Int 3, Wis 10, Cha 21
Base Atk +16; CMB +29 (+33 grapple); CMD 39 (can't be tripped)
Feats Cleave, Cleaving Finish[UC], Crippling Critical[APG], Critical Focus, Dazzling Display, Gory Finish[UC], Great Cleave, Improved Critical (bite), Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Intimidate +30, Perception +14, Swim +19
SQ frightener, rejuvenation
ECOLOGY
Environment any ocean
Organization solitary or pack (2–12)
Treasure incidental
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Blood Rage (Su) A great wight shark’s blood rage ability activates whenever it detects a creature using its lifesense, but otherwise functions as the universal monster rule of the same name.
Create Spawn (Su) A humanoid creature slain by a great wight shark becomes a wight with the advanced simple template and a 30-ft. swim speed in 1d4 rounds. A shark returns as a great wight shark in 1d4 rounds. All other creatures return as zombies in 1d4 hours. These spawn are free-willed and not under the shark’s command. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.
Frightener (Su) If a great wight shark exceeds the DC to demoralize an opponent by more than 10, the opponent must succeed at a DC 26 Will save or become frightened for the number of rounds it would have become shaken. Success on the Will save means the foe is still shaken. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Profane Avoidance (Su) A great wight shark adds a profane bonus equal to its Charisma modifier to its Reflex saves.
Rejuvenation (Su) A great wight shark returns to its full hit points after 1 day. To permanently destroy the shark, holy water must be poured over its remains within the area of a hallow spell.
Unholy Resilience (Su) If a great wight shark succeeds at a Will save against a spell or effect that deals positive energy, it takes no positive energy damage.

The product of necromantic experiments gone awry, great wight sharks become much more than mere zombie sharks upon their creation. The sharks’ tenacity and ruthlessness allowed the newly created undead monsters to absorb the negative energy infusing them. They prowl the seas in an attempt to utterly destroy life underwater and spawn more of their kind from living sharks. Occasionally, they allow other creatures to survive an attack enough so they become viable undead, which the cunning sharks use to soften up resistance. Generally, great wight sharks eat anything but their own kind, though. Escaping to land does not end a great wight assault, as the sharks leap onto land and pursue prey only slightly slowed down by being out of the water.


A typical great wight specimen is 20 feet long and weighs 4,000 pounds.