Wednesday, October 3, 2018

Frightful Fridays! Frogtober! Retributoad

Hello again, and welcome back as Frogtober continues apace! Today's frog is actually a draconic creature, and you can tell by its wings, breath weapon, and unpleasant disposition. In fact a retributoad gets so angry at trespassers, it catches itself in its own breath weapon. Bring trolls along for extra fun with this critter.

I hope you enjoy the retributoad and the fantastic illustration by Hugo Solis (https://www.deviantart.com/butterfrog). See you tomorrow!


{Sounds of angry croaking}


This toad has bright red scales broken up by strange scorch marks and stands as tall as a pony. Its vestigial wings look like it can barely hold it aloft.
Retributoad      CR 4
XP 1,200
CE Medium dragon
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +10
DEFENSE
AC 17, touch 11, flat-footed 16 (+1 Dex, +6 natural)
hp 42 (5d12+10)
Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +6
Immune paralysis, sleep; Resist fire 5
OFFENSE
Speed 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (clumsy)
Melee bite +9 (1d6+3), 2 claws +8 (1d4+3)
Special Attacks blood rage, breath weapon (30-ft. cone, 6d6 fire damage, Reflex DC 14 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds), suppress regeneration, troll foe
STATISTICS
Str 17, Dex 12, Con 14, Int 11, Wis 14, Cha 15
Base Atk +5; CMB +8; CMD 19 (23 vs. trip)
Feats Improved Initiative, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Appraise +8, Fly +0, Intimidate +10, Knowledge (local) +4 (+16 when identifying giants), Perception +10, Stealth +9, Survival +10; Racial Modifiers +12 Knowledge (local) when identifying giants
Languages Draconic, Giant
ECOLOGY
Environment any mountains
Organization solitary, pair, or conflagration (38)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Breath Weapon (Su) A retributoad’s fire resistance does not apply to its, or another retributoad’s, breath weapon. When the retributoad rages, per its blood rage ability, and uses its breath weapon, a sphere of fire engulfs the toad, dealing half damage to it (no save).
Suppress Regeneration (Su) When a retributoad strikes a creature with its natural attacks, it suppresses the creature’s regeneration, regardless of the normal means to suppress the creature’s regeneration.
Troll Foe (Ex) A retributoad gains a +4 bonus on Perception and Survival checks against trolls. Additionally, it receives a +4 bonus on attack and damage rolls against them.

Retributoads or troll-killer toads are actually draconic creatures rather than amphibians. There are various theories about their origins: they were once frogs bathed in red-dragon blood that produced hybrid offspring, they were frogs deliberately crossbred with dragons, etc. The most popular theory, given their prowess at dispatching trolls is that they were once red dragons, cursed to assume a lesser form in retaliation for their decision not to destroy an army of trolls. Once they kill an absurd number of trolls (totaling a million, according to the most prevalent conjecture), they will return to their true forms.

Whatever their origins, everyone agrees retributoads are angry creatures. They brook no intrusion upon their territory, which can measure from something as small as a cave entrance to something as large as entire mountain, and attack anyone they see with absolutely no warning to turn away. They make generous use of their fiery breath, curiously even when they enter a berserker state and their breath backfires on them explosively. Retributoads eventually calm down if trespassers leave the toads’ assumed territory and won’t follow those who flee.

This is not the case for trolls, however. Retributoads absolutely loathe trolls and attack them in preference to any other opponents. They relentlessly pursue these hated enemies until the trolls or they are dead. Given most trolls refuse to back down from a fight, casualties mount up quickly in an encounter between retributoads and trolls.

A retributoad measures 6 feet in length, stands 5 feet tall, and weighs 400 pounds. While most retributoads don’t live this long, they can reach 200 years of age.