Frightful Fridays! Fleshroil

Hello, and welcome back to Frightful Fridays, celebrating its third anniversary on this blog (plus maybe a little catch up from missing weeks). The next monster "rolls" in to grab PCs' arms and legs...permanently. I couldn't find an image I was happy with, but I'm sure that my searching put my household on a few federal watchlists. So, I am providing a somewhat related image that I will eventually create a monster for instead.

By the way, for sadistic or sinister GMs, note that the fleshroil cannot use the treasure it obtains incidentally when it takes arms and legs. However, there's nothing saying you can't allow it to benefit from rings of protection and other passive magical items.

I hope you enjoy the fleshroil, and I'll see you tomorrow with another seasonal monster. Thanks for reading!

This creature looks like a tumbleweed composed of dismembered arms and legs.

Fleshroil      CR 7

XP 3,200

CE Large undead

Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 8, flat-footed 20 (–1 Dex, +12 natural, –1 size)

hp 85 (10d8+40); regeneration 5 (acid)

Fort +7, Ref +2, Will +7

Defensive Abilities amorphous; Immune undead traits; Resist cold 10, electricity 10, fire 5

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., climb 30 ft.

Melee 2 slams +13 (2d6+7 plus grab)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks dismember, rend (2 slams, 2d6+10)

STATISTICS

Str 24, Dex 9, Con —, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 19

Base Atk +7; CMB +15 (+20 grapple, +17 sunder); CMD 24 (26 vs. sunder, can't be tripped)

Feats Improved Sunder, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception), Step Up, Weapon Focus (grapple)

Skills Acrobatics +10 (+18 to jump), Climb +19, Perception +12; Racial Modifiers +8 Acrobatics

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary, pair, or malignancy (3–6)

Treasure standard (magic rings, gloves, boots, etc.)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Consume (Ex) As a full round action, a fleshroil can tear apart and harvest the limbs of a helpless creature of its size or smaller, killing the creature. It is treated as fighting defensively while using this ability. After it has consumed a creature, it gains hit points equal to the creature’s Constitution score and a 10-foot increase to its base speed. If it has consumed one Medium creature (or the equivalent), it applies the advanced creature template. If it has consumed four Medium creatures (or the equivalent), it applies the giant creature template. It cannot gain more than one of each template.

Within 1 minute of consuming four Medium creatures, a fleshroil splits into two identical creatures, both with the same statistics as the original fleshroil (thus losing the templates).

Dismember (Ex) If a fleshroil deals rending damage to an opponent or pins its opponent, it makes a sunder attempt against that opponent as a swift action. If the attempt succeeds, the fleshroil tears off one of the opponent’s arms or legs. The target takes 1d6 points of bleed damage and cannot perform actions requiring two arms (with the loss of an arm) or cannot walk or run (with the loss of a leg).

Speculation about the fleshroil, also known as the fleshwheel or limbroll, focuses on two possible origins: it grew from a troll’s (or multiple trolls’) severed limbs or it derives from partially ooze-digested victims. It shares odd traits with both trolls and oozes, making either theory possible. However, it is an undead creature, animated by malign energies created by the trauma of losing limbs. The dim intelligence it possesses drives it to add more limbs to its mass, eventually “reproducing” once it has added enough to its collective.

Ghouls and other creatures with a taste for humanoid flesh farm fleshroils and send them out to wreak terror in the surrounding lands while gathering meals for the fleshroils’ masters. A creature with a minimum caster level of 18 that can cast create undead may use that spell to create a fleshroil, but this requires at least two corpses.

Frightful Fridays! Skull of Ill Omen

Hello, and welcome to the latest edition of Frightful Fridays! Real life brought the monster production to a halt, so I'm making up for lost time and publishing a monster a day until Halloween. I also wanted to celebrate this feature's 3-year anniversary with some creepy and/or scary monsters, like this curse-generating skull. I think a lot of players will be unhappy after an encounter with this monster, so I'd suggest using it sparingly.

I hope you enjoy(?) the skull of ill omen, and I'll see you tomorrow with a new monster. Thanks for your patience during the delay, and thanks for reading!

This charming skull can be found here

This jade skull floats just above the ground and radiates a sickly green light.

Skull of Ill Omen      CR 13

XP 25,600

NE Diminutive undead

Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +29

DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 24, flat-footed 22 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural, +4 profane, +4 size)

hp 180 (19d8+95); fast healing 5

Fort +11, Ref +13, Will +12

DR 10/bludgeoning; Immune cold, electricity, undead traits; Resist fire 10; SR 24

OFFENSE

Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)

Ranged 2 cursed touches +23 touch (2d6 negative energy plus bestow curse)

Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks create spawn, cursed backlash, escalating curse, final curse, spellwarp

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 19th; concentration +24)

   At will—dimension door (DC 19), telekinesis

   11/day—bestow curse (DC 20)

   3/day—major curse^UM (DC 23)

   1/day—beguiling gift^APG (DC 16), telekinetic sphere (DC 23)

   1/month—cursed earth^UM

STATISTICS

Str 1, Dex 20, Con —, Int 18, Wis 13, Cha 21

Base Atk +14; CMB +15; CMD 25 (can't be tripped)

Feats Combat Expertise, Deceitful, Dodge, Greater Spell Focus (necromancy), Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Point-Blank Shot, Skill Focus (Perception), Spell Focus (necromancy)

Skills Bluff +28, Disguise +28, Fly +25, Knowledge (arcana, religion) +26, Knowledge (planes) +23, Perception +29, Spellcraft +26, Stealth +39

Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Common, Infernal

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary

Treasure normal (inert skull)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Create Spawn (Su) A creature that dies while suffering from a curse (from bestow curse or major curse) inflicted by a skull of ill omen becomes a new skull of ill omen after 13 days. The new skull is not under the control of its creator.

Cursed Backlash (Su) When a creature deals physical damage to a skull of ill omen, the attacker must succeed at a DC 24 Will save or take half the inflicted damage as negative energy damage. An opponent successfully dealing energy damage to the skull must also succeed at a DC 24 Will save or take half the energy damage (damage type does not change). The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Cursed Touch (Su) The bestow curse effect on a successful ranged touch attack counts against the skull of ill omen’s uses of its bestow curse spell-like ability.

Escalating Curse (Su) If a victim of a skull of ill omen’s bestow curse spell-like ability makes its save, the DC for subsequent uses of its bestow curse increases by 1.

For each failed attempt to remove a curse (from bestow curse or major curse) inflicted by the skull, the DC to remove the curse increases by 1.

Final Curse (Su) When a skull of ill omen is destroyed, it creates an effect as per cursed earth^UM, except it inflicts all effects. Additionally, the creature dealing the fatal blow to the skull must succeed at a DC 26 Will save or be afflicted as if by a double-strength bestow curse (–6 decrease to two ability scores or 12 decrease to one ability score, or –8 penalty on attack rolls, saves, ability checks, and skill checks). The curse cannot be removed with anything less powerful than a miracle or wish spell. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

Spellwarp (Su) If a caster fails to penetrate a skull of ill omen’s spell resistance and the skull has successfully identified the spell, it can choose the spell’s parameters (target(s), area, etc.). It cannot maintain concentration on a spell it warps in this manner.

A skull of ill omen results when a creature dies while under the effects of a powerful curse. Embittered by its death, the victim retains the cursed energy and its body quickly withers away. The skull animates and travels the land to afflict the living with terrible curses of its own devising. It finds a graveyard or other appropriate location and disguises itself as a moss-covered humanoid skull. From its new home, it surreptitiously casts cursed earth, and relishes in the misfortunes wiping out most of the inhabitants. It then moves on to the next settlement to repeat the process. It prefers not to directly harm people, since its curses create more skulls of ill omen, but it will make exceptions for particularly dogged meddlers.

A skull of ill omen enjoys collecting cursed items and it researches legends surrounding such items when it travels to a large settlement. It hires evil or gullible adventurers to retrieve the items. Rarely, the skull will use beguiling gift to force an opponent to take a cursed item. It will then falsely promise to remove the curse if the victim does the skull’s bidding.

An inert skull is worth 12,000 gp, but it imposes a 20% chance of cursing magic items produced within 200 feet of it.

Frightful Fridays! Gunner Scorpion

Hello, and welcome to a late edition of Frightful Fridays! I'm keeping with the arachnid theme, and I blame my friend JD, who mentioned something about laser scorpions. I couldn't get it out of my head, and it morphed into the gunner scorpion you see below. It still blasts opposing creatures, but not with lasers. I also threw in a magic item to make up for the lateness.

I hope you enjoy the gunner scorpion, and I'll be back next time with a new monster. Thanks for reading!

The laser scorpion this author did not have the guts to stat up.

This gigantic, slate-gray scorpion has a tail that ends in two stingers, each of which fits loosely within its socket.

Gunner Scorpion      CR 11

XP 12,800

N Gargantuan magical beast

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +26

DEFENSE

AC 26, touch 10, flat-footed 22 (+4 Dex, +16 natural, –4 size)

hp 147 (14d10+70); fast healing 2

Fort +14, Ref +13, Will +7

DR 10/piercing; Immune energy immunity, mind-affecting effects; Resist acid 5, cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5

OFFENSE

Speed 60 ft., burrow 40 ft.

Melee 2 claws +20 (1d8+10 plus grab), sting +20 (2d8+10/19–20)

Ranged 4 stingers +14 (1d8+15)

Space 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft. (25 ft. with sting)

Special Attacks hail of stingers, incendiary rounds, overload

STATISTICS

Str 31, Dex 18, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 4

Base Atk +14; CMB +28 (+32 grapple); CMD 42 (50 vs. trip)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Disruptive^B, Improved Critical (sting), Opening Volley[UC], Skill Focus (Perception), Spellbreaker^B, Stand Still

Skills Acrobatics +4 (+16 to jump), Perception +26, Stealth –8 (+8 in rocky environments); Racial Modifiers +16 Stealth in rocky environments

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary, pair, or squad (3–6)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Energy Immunity (Ex) A gunner scorpion is immune to the energy type dealt by its incendiary rounds.

Hail of Stingers (Ex) Once per day as a full-round action, a gunner scorpion can launch a 60-foot cone of stingers, which deals 8d6 piercing damage to every creature within the cone (DC 22 Reflex half). The scorpion is fatigued after using this ability, it loses the benefit of fast healing for 1 round, and it cannot use its ranged attack for 1 round.

Incendiary Rounds (Ex) A gunner scorpion has a store of one type of energy within its system. This defaults to fire, but it can eat an alchemical concoction that changes the energy type. This grants immunity to the chosen energy type, and allows the scorpion to add 2d6 points of energy damage to its stingers. As it takes a while to apply the energy to its stingers, this reduces its rate of fire to 2 stingers per round.

Overload (Ex) The energies stored within a gunner scorpion explode when the creature dies. Every creature in a 30-foot spread takes 6d6 damage of the energy type the scorpion uses for its incendiary rounds (DC 22 Reflex half). Someone capable of controlling the scorpion can order it to “self-destruct” to deal this damage.

Stingers (Ex) A gunner scorpion fires can fire up to 4 stingers at multiple targets, no two of which can be further than 30 feet apart. The stingers have a 60-ft. range increment.

Engineered by races that use scorpions as weapons of war, gunner scorpions are devastating creatures employed by those races. These creatures primarily attack at range, but they have learned techniques to deal with opponents within melee range of their claws and stinger. They are especially effective in close combat with spellcasters. They have internal stores of fire within their hard carapaces, allowing them to apply flame to their ranged stinger attacks, but their controllers can feed them material that changes the composition of the energy for 24 hours. Gunner scorpion controllers either master vermin empathy or employ magic items to give orders to the creatures.

Crawling Crown

Aura moderate transmutation; CL 11th

Slot head; Price 28,000 gp; Weight 1 lb.

DESCRIPTION

Images of multiple species of vermin cover this iron crown. When placed on the wearer’s head, the images crawl around the crown in disconcerting fashion. The wearer can control vermin and vermin-like magical beasts with an intelligence of 2 or less as if she possessed the wild empathy ability. If she already has the wild empathy ability, she gains a +4 enhancement bonus on wild empathy checks to influence such creatures.

Once per day, the wearer can transform her skin into one or more swarms, as per swarm skin, but she may only choose vermin swarms.

CONSTRUCTION

Requirements Craft Wondrous Item, swarm skin^APG, creator must have wild empathy or vermin empathy ability; Cost 14,000 gp

Frightful Fridays! Sanguinary Spider

Hello and welcome back to this edition of Frightful Fridays! Drejk posted this beauty on my wall this week, and it inspired me to create the sanguinary spider. It loves your character's blood, and it has many ways of extracting it and making sure the blood keeps flowing.

I hope you enjoy(?) the sanguinary spider, and I'll be back next time with a new monster. Thanks for reading!

Another terrifying arachnophobic nightmare awaits here.

This enormous spider has a blood-red underbody and brown splotches cover the top of its body. Its mandibles drip with blood, most likely not its own.

Sanguinary Spider      CR 9

XP 6,400

N Huge magical beast

Init +7; Senses sense blood, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +15

Aura hemorrhagic aura (20 ft.)

DEFENSE

AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 20 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural, –2 size)

hp 114 (12d10+48)

Fort +12, Ref +11, Will +6

Immune mind-affecting effects

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., climb 40 ft.

Melee bite +18 (4d6+12/19–20 plus 1d6 bleed, grab, and poison)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks blood drain (1d2 Constitution), blood puppet

STATISTICS

Str 27, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 1, Wis 14, Cha 8

Base Atk +12; CMB +22 (+26 grapple); CMD 36 (44 vs. trip)

Feats Dodge, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack

Skills Acrobatics +3 (+11 to jump), Climb +16, Perception +15, Stealth +0 (+4 in webs); Racial Modifiers +4 Stealth (+8 in webs)

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate or warm forests

Organization solitary

Treasure incidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Blood Puppet (Su) When a sanguinary spider deals a total of 20 points of bleed damage, it can create a blood golem from the collected blood. The golem attacks the nearest opponent until it is destroyed. If the spider dies or the golem moves more than 20 feet from the spider, the golem splashes harmlessly into a pool of blood.

Hemorrhagic Aura (Su) A creature that begins its turn within 20 feet of a sanguinary spider must succeed at a DC 20 Fortitude save or take 1d2 points of bleed damage. This bleed damage stacks with bleed inflicted by the spider’s bite.

Anticoagulating Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 20; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; initial effect 1d6 Con; secondary effect bleed damage inflicted by the spider cannot be ended with a Heal check, and a creature applying magical healing must succeed at a DC 20 caster level check to stop the bleed damage; cure 2 consecutive saves.

Sense Blood (Ex) A sanguinary spider can immediately sense the presence of warm-blooded creatures in a 60-foot radius as if by scent. It can detect exposed blood within a mile.

Sitting at the center of a bloody mass of webs, sanguinary spiders prefer to wait for prey to stumble into their territories. Though they can sense blood-filled prey from a great distance, they wait until such prey get within range of their hemorrhagic aura before launching an attack and finishing the job started by the aura. If potential meals flee from sanguinary spiders, they still collect enough blood to sate their hungers until more prey arrives. In dire circumstances against troublesome foes, the spiders can animate blood into humanoid facsimiles for protection. The creatures spin webs from congealing remains they do not feed upon; these webs do not entangle prey, but they are unnervingly sticky from the drying blood.

Frightful Fridays! Ki Rat

Hello, and welcome to this week's Frightful Fridays! Today's entry is courtesy of my friend Drejk, and it sat in my folder for a long while before I decided to do something with it. The ki rat uses the rules for the Pathfinder Unchained monk, which suits the creature better than the typical monk. At any rate, if you unleash a ki rat on your players, they won't want to underestimate this rat.

I hope you enjoy the ki rat, and I'll see you next time with another monster. Thanks for reading!

This hairless rat with a sagacious mien is blind but moves with surprising grace.

Ki Rat      CR 12

XP 19,200

LN Tiny magical beast

Init +10; Senses blindsight 120 ft.; Perception +27

DEFENSE

AC 27, touch 27, flat-footed 20 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 insight, +2 size)

hp 152 (16d10+64)

Fort +14, Ref +16, Will +15

Defensive Abilities improved evasion

Weaknesses blind

OFFENSE

Speed 60 ft.

Melee unarmed strike +22/+17/+12/+7 (1d10+4) or 2 claws +22 (1d10+4) or unarmed strike flurry of blows +22/+22/+22/+17/+12/+7 (1d10+4)

Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks flurry of blows, pounce, stunning fist (4/day, DC 26)

STATISTICS

Str 2, Dex 22, Con 19, Int 14, Wis 27, Cha 17

Base Atk +16; CMB +28 (+30 trip); CMD 35 (41 vs. trip)

Feats Deflect Arrows^B, Dodge, Improved Initiative, Improved Iron Will, Improved Trip^B, Improved Unarmed Strike, Iron Will, Mobility^B, Spring Attack, Stunning Fist, Underfoot^APG

Skills Acrobatics +25 (+37 to jump), Climb +15, Perception +27, Perform (wind instruments) +19, Stealth +25; Racial Modifiers +8 Climb

Languages Common, Ki Rat

SQ insightful combatant, ki pool (16 points, adamantine, lawful, magic), ki powers (diamond mind, diamond soul, feather balance, light steps, one touch, quivering palm, wholeness of body)

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary, pair, or sangha (3–16)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Insightful Combatant (Su) A ki rat gains an insight bonus equal to its Wisdom modifier to its Armor Class, attacks, and damage.

Ki Powers (Su) For purposes of its key powers, a ki rat has an effective monk level equal to its Hit Dice.

Ki rats are exceptionally powerful animals that possess many abilities associated with monks. The prevailing thought is that ordinary rats at temples where monks trained absorbed the ki that flowed into and out of the monks. These rats lost their sight but gained awareness of their environment and their own inherent power. Many ki rats roam the world and use their power and wisdom to right wrongs, free the falsely imprisoned, and impart their own knowledge to those willing to learn from a rat. Some of these rats have settled down and started temples of their own, usually teaching aspiring monks through a proxy. All ki rats have a love for wind instruments, and carry reed flutes, from which they produce soothing melodies.

Frightful Fridays! Tarrhino

Hello, and welcome back to a new Frightful Fridays! Today's monster is courtesy of Jason Mitchell, who pointed out the tire sculptures in the link below this week's image. It inspired me to create a tar-covered rhinoceros that can gore opponents and glue them to its hide and subsequently crush them.

I hope you enjoy the tarrhino, and I hope GMs will use it to literally stick it to their characters. I'll be back next time with a new monster. Thanks for reading!

This sculpture and others like it can be found here

This humongous, black rhinoceros drips tar that sizzles when it hits the ground.

Tarrhino      CR 7

XP 3,200

N Huge magical beast

Init –2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 6, flat-footed 20 (–2 Dex, +14 natural, –2 size)

hp 94 (9d10+45)

Fort +11, Ref +4, Will +6

DR 10/piercing; Resist acid 10, fire 10

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft.

Melee gore +14 (3d6+7), slam +14 (3d6+7 plus 1d6 fire and grab)

Ranged tar spit +5 (2d6+7 plus 1d6 fire)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks grab, powerful charge (6d6+14), sticky hide, tar spit

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +9)

   1/day—tar pool (DC 14)

STATISTICS

Str 25, Dex 6, Con 21, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 11

Base Atk +9; CMB +18 (+22 grapple); CMD 26 (30 vs. disarm and trip)

Feats Diehard, Endurance, Impaling Charge, Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack

Skills Intimidate +13, Perception +9

ECOLOGY

Environment any warm land

Organization solitary, pair, or herd (3–8)

Treasure standard

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Sticky Hide (Ex) A tarrhino’s hide is highly adhesive. When it strikes an opponent with its slam attack, it gains a free grapple attempt. If it succeeds, it does not gain the grappled condition, and it only deals 1d6 fire damage to a creature with which it maintains a grapple. It can adhere up to 8 Medium creatures (or an equivalent number of smaller or larger creatures) to itself. As a full round action that provokes attacks of opportunity, the tarrhino can roll, dealing its slam damage (plus 1-1/2 Strength bonus) to all creatures stuck to it.

Additionally, a creature striking a tarrhino with a manufactured melee weapon must succeed at a DC 19 Reflex save to avoid the weapon sticking to the tarrhino. Freeing a stuck weapon requires a successful disarm attempt, and the creature’s hide grants a +4 racial bonus to CMD against disarm checks.

Tar Spit (Ex) If a tarrhino’s tar spit attack hits its target’s touch AC but otherwise misses the target, it deals no damage to the target. However, the target is affected as if hit by a tanglefoot bag (with a DC 19 Reflex save to avoid becoming glued to the floor). A tarrhino’s tar spit has a range increment of 20 feet.

Ancient battles between earth and fire elementals left melted corpses behind, some of which dissolved into pools of semi-sentient tar. As animals blundered into the tar and succumbed to its sticky embrace, the slumbering sludge remembered the victims’ shapes. When the tar awoke its torpor, it chose its favorite form, that of the rhino, before leaving the pits wherein the tar slept.

Despite their elemental origins, tarrhinos must eat, and they range over large areas to hunt prey. Their preferred method of hunting is to glue a victim in place with expectorated tar and then pulverizing the victim at the end of a thunderous charge. They also enjoy fighting multiple creatures at once, so they can stick unsuspecting foes to their hides and roll around to crush those that cannot free themselves. Tarrhinos are usually covered in stuck weapons and various items, making them virtual walking treasure chests for stalwarts who can defeat them.

Superstar Voting Has Begun!

It's the most Superstar time of the year. It's a wee bit early (three months), but this will keep it out of competition with the holiday season to encourage more entries and voting.

Speaking of which, vote for your favorite items here!
http://paizo.com/cgi-bin/WebObjects/Store.woa/wa/RPGSuperstarAction/votingPage

(caution: the site may be down periodically due to the rush of voters at the outset)

Frightful Fridays! Surprise! Elemental

Hello, and welcome to this week's Frightful Fridays! This one has been floating around for a while, but my friend Owen recently brought it up again. Inspired by this YouTube video, I present the surprise elemental, complete with "age categories" like proper elementals. Its purpose is to mess with characters (and players) who presumably figure out how to most effectively kill it, only to find out how wrong they are. It's quite fiddly with all the random rolling, so I would caution against throwing a dozen of these out there (despite what their organization line says).

I do hope you enjoy the surprise elemental, and I'll be back with another monster next time (probably something less wacky). Thanks for reading! (and keep your eyes on the comments to figure out which rugby matches or NFL games are taking place)

Yes, this is a surprise.

An exclamation point pops out of thin air and begins attacking.

Surprise Elemental

ECOLOGY

Environment any (Plane of the Unexpected)

Organization solitary, pair, or perplexity (3–13)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Now You See Me (Su) A number of times per day equal to a surprise elemental’s Charisma modifier, it can take a full round action, which does not provoke an attack of opportunity, to teleport itself up to twice its movement rate and make a single attack. The target of the attack must succeed at a Perception check opposed by the elemental’s Stealth check, or it is flat-footed with respect to the attack.

Sneak Attack (Ex) A surprise elemental deals sneak attack damage as if it were a rogue with levels equal to its Hit Dice.

Surprise Defense (Su) A surprise elemental must be threatened by at least one other creature to take damage.

Variable Resistance (Su) A surprise elemental begins combat with the listed resistance to a random energy type, based on a d4 roll (1: acid, 2: cold, 3: electricity, 4: fire). When it takes damage from the resisted type of energy, reroll for a new type of energy (for example, if it was originally resistant to cold, roll a d6 for the new resistance: 1–2: acid, 3–4: electricity, 5–6: fire).

Will This Work? (Su) A surprise elemental begins combat with spell resistance equal to 10 + CR. Each time a spell overcomes its spell resistance, its spell resistance increases by 1. Each time a spell fails to penetrate its spell resistance, its spell resistance decreases by 1.

Small Surprise Elemental      CR 2

XP 600

N Small outsider (elemental, extraplanar)

Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +6

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 14, flat-footed 13 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)

hp 19 (3d10+3)

Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +1

Defensive Abilities surprise defense, will this work?; DR versatile DR; Immune elemental traits; Resist variable resistance 5

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., burrow 20 ft., climb 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (average), swim 60 ft.

Melee slam +4 (2d6)

Special Attacks now you see me, sneak attack +2d6

STATISTICS

Str 10, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 12

Base Atk +3; CMB +2; CMD 15 (can't be tripped)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative, Lunge^B

Skills Acrobatics +9 (+13 to jump), Bluff +7, Climb +12, Disguise +7, Fly +10, Perception +6, Stealth +21, Swim +8; Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Versatile DR (Su) A small surprise elemental begins combat with DR 5, bypassed by a random weapon type based on a d6 roll (1–2: slashing, 3–4: piercing, 5–6: bludgeoning). When an attack bypasses its DR, reroll for a different weapon type (for example, if slashing weapons originally bypassed its DR, roll a d6 for the new weapon type: 1–3: piercing, 4–6: bludgeoning).

Medium Surprise Elemental      CR 4

XP 1,200

N Medium outsider (elemental, extraplanar)

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +4 natural)

hp 37 (5d10+10)

Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +3

Defensive Abilities surprise defense, will this work?; DR versatile DR; Immune elemental traits; Resist variable resistance 10

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., burrow 30 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (average), swim 60 ft.

Melee slam +8 (2d8+4)

Special Attacks now you see me, sneak attack +3d6

STATISTICS

Str 16, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 12

Base Atk +5; CMB +8 (+10 dirty trick); CMD 22 (24 vs. dirty trick, can't be tripped)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Improved Dirty Trick, Improved Initiative, Lunge^B

Skills Acrobatics +4 (+12 to jump), Bluff +11, Climb +16, Disguise +11, Fly +10, Perception +10, Stealth +28, Swim +11; Racial Modifiers +16 Stealth

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Versatile DR (Su) A medium surprise elemental begins combat with DR 5, bypassed by a random weapon type based on a d6 roll (1–2: slashing, 3–4: piercing, 5–6: bludgeoning). When an attack bypasses its DR, reroll for a different weapon type (for example, if slashing weapons originally bypassed its DR, roll a d6 for the new weapon type: 1–3: piercing, 4–6: bludgeoning).

Large Surprise Elemental      CR 6

XP 2,400

N Large outsider (elemental, extraplanar)

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +14

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural, –1 size)

hp 68 (8d10+24)

Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +5

Defensive Abilities surprise defense, will this work?; DR versatile DR; Immune elemental traits; Resist variable resistance 10

OFFENSE

Speed 60 ft., burrow 30 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 90 ft. (average), swim 90 ft.

Melee 2 slams +12 (2d8+5)

Special Attacks now you see me, sneak attack +4d6

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

STATISTICS

Str 20, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 14

Base Atk +8; CMB +14 (+16 dirty trick); CMD 29 (31 vs. dirty trick, can't be tripped)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Dirty Trick^B, Improved Initiative, Lunge^B, Mobility

Skills Acrobatics +15 (+27 to jump), Bluff +15, Climb +18, Disguise +15, Fly +11, Perception +14, Stealth +35, Swim +13; Racial Modifiers +24 Stealth

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Versatile DR (Su) A large surprise elemental begins combat with DR 10, bypassed by a random weapon type based on a d4 roll (1: slashing, 2: piercing, 3: bludgeoning, 4: magic). When an attack bypasses its DR, reroll for a different weapon type (for example, if slashing weapons originally bypassed its DR, roll a d6 for the new weapon type: 1–2: piercing, 3–4: bludgeoning, 5–6: magic).

Huge Surprise Elemental      CR 8

XP 4,800

N Huge outsider (elemental, extraplanar)

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +17

DEFENSE

AC 21, touch 13, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural, –2 size)

hp 105 (10d10+50)

Fort +12, Ref +11, Will +7

Defensive Abilities surprise defense, will this work?; DR versatile DR; Immune elemental traits; Resist variable resistance 15

OFFENSE

Speed 70 ft., burrow 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 90 ft. (average), swim 90 ft.

Melee 2 slams +16 (3d6+8)

Special Attacks now you see me, sneak attack +5d6

Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

STATISTICS

Str 26, Dex 19, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 19, Cha 14

Base Atk +10; CMB +20 (+22 dirty trick); CMD 35 (37 vs. dirty trick, can't be tripped)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack^B, Improved Dirty Trick^B, Improved Initiative, Lunge^B, Mobility, Spring Attack

Skills Acrobatics +17 (+33 to jump), Bluff +18, Climb +21, Disguise +18, Fly +11, Perception +17, Stealth +37, Swim +16; Racial Modifiers +28 Stealth

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Versatile DR (Su) A large surprise elemental begins combat with DR 10, bypassed by a random weapon type or material based on a d6 roll (1: slashing, 2: piercing, 3: bludgeoning, 4: magic, 5: cold iron, 6: silver). When an attack bypasses its DR, reroll for a different weapon type (for example, if slashing weapons originally bypassed its DR, roll a d10 for the new weapon type: 1–2: piercing, 3–4: bludgeoning, 5–6: magic, 7–8: cold iron, 9–10: silver).

Greater Surprise Elemental      CR 10

XP 9,600

N Huge outsider (elemental, extraplanar)

Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +21

DEFENSE

AC 24, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+5 Dex, +1 dodge, +10 natural, –2 size)

hp 136 (13d10+65)

Fort +13, Ref +13, Will +9

Defensive Abilities surprise defense, will this work?; DR versatile DR; Immune elemental traits; Resist variable resistance 20

OFFENSE

Speed 70 ft., burrow 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 90 ft. (average), swim 90 ft.

Melee 2 slams +20 (3d8+9)

Special Attacks now you see me, sneak attack +7d6

Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

STATISTICS

Str 28, Dex 21, Con 21, Int 12, Wis 21, Cha 16

Base Atk +13; CMB +24 (+26 dirty trick); CMD 40 (42 vs. dirty trick, can't be tripped)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Dirty Trick^B, Improved Initiative, Lunge^B, Mobility, Quick Dirty Trick^{B, UC}, Spring Attack, Step Up

Skills Acrobatics +21 (+36 to jump), Bluff +22, Climb +22, Disable Device +19, Disguise +22, Fly +15, Perception +21, Stealth +45, Swim +17; Racial Modifiers +32 Stealth

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Versatile DR (Su) A large surprise elemental begins combat with DR 10, bypassed by a random weapon type or material based on a d6 roll (1: slashing, 2: piercing, 3: bludgeoning, 4: magic, 5: cold iron, 6: silver). When an attack bypasses its DR, reroll for a different weapon type (for example, if slashing weapons originally bypassed its DR, roll a d10 for the new weapon type: 1–2: piercing, 3–4: bludgeoning, 5–6: magic, 7–8: cold iron, 9–10: silver).

Elder Surprise Elemental      CR 12

XP 19,200

N Huge outsider (elemental, extraplanar)

Init +10; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +25

DEFENSE

AC 27, touch 15, flat-footed 20 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural, –2 size)

hp 168 (16d10+80)

Fort +15, Ref +16, Will +11

Defensive Abilities surprise defense, will this work?; DR versatile DR; Immune elemental traits; Resist variable resistance 30

OFFENSE

Speed 70 ft., burrow 40 ft., climb 40 ft., fly 90 ft. (average), swim 90 ft.

Melee 2 slams +24 (3d8+10)

Special Attacks now you see me, sneak attack +8d6

Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

STATISTICS

Str 30, Dex 23, Con 21, Int 12, Wis 23, Cha 18

Base Atk +16; CMB +28 (+32 dirty trick); CMD 45 (47 vs. dirty trick, can't be tripped)

Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Greater Dirty Trick^B, Improved Dirty Trick^B, Improved Initiative, Lunge, Mobility, Quick Dirty Trick^{B, UC}, Spring Attack, Step Up

Skills Acrobatics +25 (+37 to jump), Bluff +26, Climb +24, Disable Device +23, Disguise +26, Fly +18, Perception +25, Stealth +49, Swim +18; Racial Modifiers +32 Stealth

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Versatile DR (Su) A large surprise elemental begins combat with DR 15, bypassed by a random weapon material or quality based on a d8 roll (1: magic, 2: cold iron, 3: silver, 4: chaos, 5: good, 6: evil, 7: lawful, 8: roll twice ignoring a result of 8 [a weapon must possess both qualities/materials to bypass the elemental’s DR; if the same result is rolled, double its DR). When an attack bypasses its DR, reroll for a different weapon material or quality as previously noted.

In the chaotic demi-plane known as the Plane of the Unexpected, surprise elementals serve as wardens and guides for visitors to the plane. Stalwart creatures in their home plane, these elementals transform into unpredictable killers when they travel to other planes. Sages who have studied surprise elementals concluded that the relative structure and order of other planes drives the creatures to madness.

No two encounters with surprise elementals are the same. The creatures use a variety of unusual tricks when they attack, and they possess bizarre, random defenses that change during battle. Additionally, surprise elementals have a different appearance from one another and usually take the form of the local concept of surprise (one might be virtually invisible but make sudden, loud noises, while another might look like a massive jolt of electricity, for example).

Frightful Fridays! Aggressisaur

Hello and welcome back to a new Frightful Fridays! GenCon fatigue will not keep me from posting a new monster, and this one is courtesy of Paizo friend, Mac. I like the idea of a creature that destroys lesser predators, seemingly saving the day, but really just enjoying sweeping out competition so it can freely attack its prey. And, yes, this one may also have been inspired by a recent movie.

In Frightful Fridays-related news, I'm finding that I have an incredible backlog of illustrations to process, and I have a feeling that a marathon is due before the end of the year. Stay tuned for that.

In Pathfinder RPG-related news, I would be remiss in not pointing out that this year's RPG Superstar has already begun! The deadline for entries is August 17th. Check it out here: http://paizo.com/rpgsuperstar. Good luck to all who decide to enter!

I hope you enjoy the aggressisaur, and I'll be back next time with another monster. Thanks for reading!

This cuddly fella can be found here

This enormous aquatic lizard-like creature leaves a tidal wave-like wake as it swims.
Aggressisaur      CR 21

XP 409,600

N Colossal magical beast (aquatic)

Init –2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., keen scent, low-light vision; Perception +25

DEFENSE

AC 36, touch 0, flat-footed 36 (–2 Dex, +36 natural, –8 size)

hp 445 (33d10+264); regeneration 10 (fire)

Fort +26, Ref +16, Will +10

Immune mind-affecting effects

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., swim 180 ft.

Melee bite +37/+32/+27/+22 (4d6+24/18–20)

Space 30 ft.; Reach 20 ft.

Special Attacks enraged mind, fast swallow, multibite, pounce, powerful bite, ship crusher, swallow whole (6d6 acid damage, AC 28, 44 hp)

STATISTICS

Str 34, Dex 6, Con 27, Int 3, Wis 9, Cha 8

Base Atk +33; CMB +53 (+57 grapple); CMD 61 (65 vs. trip)

Skills Acrobatics +10 (+42 Acrobatics when jumping), Perception +25, Swim +24; Racial Modifiers +32 Acrobatics when jumping

Feats Awesome Blow, Bleeding Critical, Critical Focus, Critical Mastery^B, Devastating Strike^UC, Diehard, Endurance, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Devastating Strike^UC, Improved Vital Strike, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Staggering Critical, Stunning Assault^APG, Stunning Critical, Vital Strike

ECOLOGY

Environment any ocean

Organization solitary or pair

Treasure incidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Enraged Mind (Su) An aggressisaur is immune to mind-affecting spells and effects. However, it must still attempt a Will save when targeted by such spells and effects. If it fails its save, it immediately enters into a rage. It gains +2 Constitution and +2 Strength, but it takes a –2 penalty to AC. The rage lasts for the duration of combat or 1 minute, whichever is shorter.

Multibite (Ex) An aggressisaur can bite multiple times per round. It gains iterative attacks with its bite attack.

Powerful Bite (Ex) An aggressisaur adds twice its Strength modifier for its bite attack, and its bite’s critical threat range increases to 18–20.

Ship Crusher (Ex) An aggressisaur's bite ignores 10 points of hardness and 10 points of DR bypassed by a special material.

Created by dread krakens, aggressisaurs derive from mosasaur stock with a perhaps unnecessary amount of belligerence bred in. Ironically, the manipulation done by the dread krakens renders their creations immune to mental control, and any attempt to exert such control over aggressisaurs results in rage directed at the intended controller. These dinosaurs are virtual juggernauts of the sea and typically attack large creatures and vessels first before consuming smaller items, such as unfortunate survivors of a destroyed ship. Fortunately, aggressisaurs thrive primarily in the deeps where they have plenty of large prey to hunt.

In areas where multiple aggressisaurs roam, they quickly depopulate the sea and eventually turn on each other. Aggressisaurs driven by extreme hunger will launch themselves onto land near populated seashore areas. Their incredible stamina allows them to survive on land long enough to destroy whole towns—incidentally sating their hunger—and then return to the sea.

Frightful Fridays! Quadropticat

Hello, and welcome to this week's Frightful Fridays! I'm at GenCon when this posts, but I didn't want to use that as an excuse for not putting up a monster this week. This one is courtesy of Drejk (whose blog can be found here: http://shaperofworlds.blogspot.com/), and it went in an unusual direction for me. I hit upon the idea of a lawful fey creature that helps enforce treaties or confirms that dealings with mortals are on the up and up, and a four-eyed cat seemed like a strangely appropriate creature for such a task.

I hope you enjoy the quadropticat, and I'll see you next time with another monster. As always, thanks for reading!

This sweet kitty can be found here

Quadropticat      CR 3

XP 800

LN Tiny fey

Init +3; Senses low-light vision, see invisibility; Perception +17

DEFENSE

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

hp 27 (5d6+10)

Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +5

Defensive Abilities throw off darkness

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee bite +6 (1d4+2), 2 claws +6 (1d3+2)

Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks insightful combat

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +7)

   Constant—see invisibility

   1/day—discern lies (DC 16)

   1/week—vision

STATISTICS

Str 2, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 15

Base Atk +2; CMB +9 (+11 dirty trick); CMD 11 (13 vs. dirty trick, 15 vs. trip)

Feats Combat Expertise, Footslasher, Improved Dirty Trick

Skills Acrobatics +11, Appraise +7, Bluff +10 (+18 to pass secret messages), Escape Artist +11, Perception +17, Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft +7, Stealth +19; Racial Modifiers +8 Bluff to pass secret messages, +8 Perception, +8 Sense Motive

Languages Catfolk, Common, Sylvan

SQ pierce the veil

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Insightful Combat (Su) A quadropicat adds its Intelligence modifier to attack and damage rolls in place of its Strength modifier. It also gains an insight bonus to AC equal to its Intelligence modifier. It loses the benefits of this ability if it is blind.

Pierce the Veil (Su) A quadropticat does not suffer a miss chance from concealment. It also benefits from a constant see invisiblity. It loses the benefits of this ability if it is blind.

Throw off Darkness (Su) As an immediate action, a blind quadropticat can attempt a new saving throw at the end of its turn to negate the blinded condition as the result of a spell or effect. This is in addition to saving throws it can make to shake off a spell or effect that causes blindness, such as glitterdust.

Quadropticats have their origins in planes of law, where their ancestors served as impartial arbiters of contracts between planar beings as well as between outsiders and mortals. Due to a retrospectively bad deal brokered by quadropticats that resulted in the slaughter of numerous inevitables, for which the quadropticats were unfairly blamed, the powers of the lawful planes exiled the creatures to the Material Plane. Their unusual appearance prevented them from acceptance in most communities, but the fey found them intriguing and took them in.

Quadropticats, now fully fey creatures, serve the same purpose for the fey that they did in the planes of law. Their insightfulness allows them to read other creatures, so they prove valuable in ensuring both parties in a contract or treaty are honest. This is essential among the mostly capricious fey, who seek to break deals with little provocation. While quadropticats have no means to enforce these deals, their array of abilities make it difficult for a dishonest party to enter into an agreement that they intend to break later.

Strangely, despite their lawful natures and their usefulness in enforcing lawful dealings, quadropticats are nasty and unfair combatants. They seem to take pleasure in employing underhanded techniques, such as throwing dirt in an opponent’s eyes or slashing an opponent’s Achilles tendon, and take any advantage available against their foes.

Quadropticats who prefer not to deal with fey and their intrigues travel and often attach themselves to adventuring groups that can get past their weird natures. Adventuring quadropticats are fond of catfolk, perhaps because of their similar appearance, and catfolk reciprocate the attention.

Frightful Fridays! Assassin Squirrel

Hello and welcome to a new edition of Frightful Fridays! This week's monster is courtesy of Owen K.C. Stephens who posted a link to a "vampire" squirrel on his Facebook page, and then Craig Johnston alerted me to it. Since I've done a couple of vampire creatures recently, but I really wanted to do something with this squirrel, I decided to make it an insanely effective assassin instead. It might be fun to have your low-level characters stroll through a park and witness an ostensibly harmless squirrel leap up and rip out an NPC's throat before scampering off with the victim's necklace.

I hope you enjoy the assassin squirrel, and I will try to have a monster ready to go for next Friday while I'm at GenCon. Thanks for reading!

Read more about this lovely little guy here

“I say, is that squirrel carrying a crossbACK!”

Assassin Squirrel      CR 15

XP 51,200

NE Tiny magical beast

Init +13; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +26

DEFENSE

AC 32, touch 32, flat-footed 22 (+9 Dex, +1 dodge, +10 insight, +2 size)

hp 171 (18d10+72)

Fort +15, Ref +20, Will +11

Defensive Abilities defensive roll, improved evasion, improved uncanny dodge; Immune poison

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 40 ft.

Melee bite +29 (1d6+9), 2 claws +29 (1d4+9)

Ranged +3 stalking light crossbow +28 (1d4+3/19–20)

Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks death attack, dexterous killer, poisonous blood, sneak attack +9d6

STATISTICS

Str 2, Dex 29, Con 18, Int 23, Wis 21, Cha 12

Base Atk +18; CMB +25 (+27 steal); CMD 42 (44 vs. steal, 46 vs. trip)

Feats Combat Expertise, Deadly Aim, Deceitful, Dodge, Improved Feint, Improved Initiative, Improved Steal, Mobility, Weapon Finesse

Skills Acrobatics +25, Bluff +31, Climb +19, Disable Device +20, Disguise +23, Escape Artist +25, Knowledge (local) +24, Perception +26, Sleight of Hand +20, Stealth +29; Racial Modifiers +8 Bluff

Languages Common, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Undercommon (can’t speak)

SQ fast stealth, fast tumble, hide in plain sight

Gear +3 stalking light crossbow, crossbow bolts (20), bag of holding (type I)

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary

Treasure double (gear plus gems and jewels)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Death Attack (Ex) An assassin squirrel must study a potential victim for 3 rounds (spending a standard action each round). If it then makes a sneak attack with a melee weapon that successfully deals damage, the sneak attack reduces the victim to –1 hp, if it fails a DC 25 Fortitude. If the saving throw succeeds, the attack still deals normal sneak attack damage. The squirrel must make the death attack within 3 rounds of completing its 3 rounds of study. The save DC is Intelligence-based.

Defensive Roll (Ex) Once per day, when an assassin squirrel would be reduced to 0 or fewer hit points by damage in combat, it can attempt to roll with the damage. If it succeeds at a Reflex save (DC equals damage dealt), it only takes half damage from the strike; otherwise, it takes full damage. It must be aware of the attack to use this ability, and it cannot use the ability if it is denied its Dexterity bonus to AC.

Dexterous Killer (Ex) An assassin squirrel adds its Dexterity modifier to damage done by its natural weapons.

Fast Stealth (Ex) An assassin squirrel can move at full speed using the Stealth skill without penalty.

Fast Tumble (Ex) An assassin squirrel does not add 10 to the DC of an Acrobatics check when using the skill at full speed to move through a threated square without provoking an attack of opportunity.

Hide in Plain Sight (Ex) An assassin squirrel can use the Stealth skill even while being observed. As long as it is within 10 feet of some sort of shadow, it can hide itself from view in the open without having anything to actually hide behind. However, it cannot hide in its own shadow.

Poisonous Blood (Ex) An assassin squirrel’s blood is toxic sludge. A creature that successfully bites the squirrel poisons itself. As a full round action, the squirrel can deal 1 point of damage to itself to create enough poison to coat its claws (or 10 crossbow bolts), requiring an additional standard action to apply. The poison persists for 1 hour before becoming useless, and it is only good for one successful attack.

Assassin Squirrel Poison—injury or ingested; save Fort DC 23; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Con; cure 2 consecutive saves.

Unassuming killers, assassin squirrels have cultivated their inconspicuousness as they find a suitable victim. They have razor-sharp teeth and claws that inflict grievous wounds, and they add the devastating ability to find vital organs to rend when they strike. Finally, their blood is naturally toxic, allowing them to bleed themselves to coat their weapons with poison.

Assassin squirrels are thankfully rare, and only go on their hunts once a year. They always take a trophy from their victims, typically a small, shiny item, but they have been known to take ears or fingers from difficult-to-kill prey. The most common theory about these squirrels is that fey nobles employ them to assassinate dangerous mortals, or other fey as part of their internecine squabbles. This would explain the equipment possessed by the squirrels, since they do not seem to have any other means of producing it. Other beings can employ the assassins, but the price is steep, usually no less than 10,000 gp for a target.

Assassin squirrels have very short lifespans, with most specimens living no more than twenty years. However, they are potent killers from a month after they are born until they die. Infant assassin squirrels are left to their own devices shortly after their births and must learn to kill to survive. Often, a young assassin squirrel’s first target is one of its parents.

Frightful Fridays! Amorphosaurus Rex

Hello, and welcome to a new Frightful Fridays! (slightly delayed) My friend, Dave Mallon brought this image to my attention, and I ran with the idea of an aberration that does its own gene splicing. What looks like a simple encounter should become frightening when the dinosaur flashes octopus tentacles that grab and squish PCs. For extra fun, send this monster at metagaming players expecting to fight a CR 9 tyrannosaurus rex.

I hope you enjoy the amorphosaurus rex, and I'll be back next time with a new monster. Thanks for reading!

What hath abnature wrought? Original found here.

This smallish, green-skinned tyrannosaurus extrudes a pair of tentacles from its back.

Amorphosaurus Rex      CR 14

XP 38,400

CN Huge aberration

Init –2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 30, touch 6, flat-footed 30 (–2 Dex, +24 natural, –2 size)

hp 210 (20d8+120); fast healing 2

Fort +12, Ref +4, Will +12

Defensive Abilities adaptive resistance, amorphous; DR 10/cold iron; Immune acid, polymorph; Resist cold 5, electricity 5, fire 5

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., swim 80 ft.

Melee bite +23 (4d6+15/19–20 plus grab), 2 tentacles +22 (2d8+5)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

Special Attacks constrict (2d8+10), swallow whole (2d8+10, AC 22, 21 hp)

STATISTICS

Str 31, Dex 6, Con 22, Int 5, Wis 10, Cha 10

Base Atk +15; CMB +27 (+29 bull rush and overrun, +31, +29 overrun); CMD 35 (37 vs. bull rush and overrun)

Feats Awesome Blow, Dazzling Display, Diehard, Endurance, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Overrun, Multiattack, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (tentacle)

Skills Intimidate +15, Perception +11, Swim +18

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary or pair

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Adaptive Resistance (Su) When an amorphosaurus rex takes energy damage greater than its current resistance, the value increases by 5 for subsequent energy damage (for example, if a spell deals 7 points of fire damage, it takes 2 points of damage, and then its resist fire increases to 10). This increased resistance lasts for an hour after it takes damage.

Related to chaos beasts and gibbering mouthers, proto-amorphosaurus rexes had a similarly unstable form. Unlike those creatures, the amorphosaurus rexes instinctively locked in on the alpha predator at the time and their outward appearance permanently changed. However, they retained rudimentary shapeshifting abilities, allowing them to generate decidedly non-dinosaur features, with octopus tentacles as their weapons of choice. Their internal organs constantly shift, making it impossible to harm them by damaging an internal organ. Their weird biology allows them to heal wounds rapidly as well. Finally, they have a modicum of protection from elemental damage, and this protection increases as they are exposed to it.

While the tyrannosaurus rex is the typical form taken by amorphosaurus rexes, variants include sharks and bears. Regardless of the shape they “fix” on, they always have an incongruous feature (tentacles, whip-like tails, fanged mouths within mouths, etc.) that mark them out as unnatural.

Frightful Fridays! Ghost-Hunting Bat

Hello and welcome to this week's edition of Frightful Fridays! The ghost-hunting bat, based on the Honduran Ghost Bat, is not exactly frightful, unless you happen to be playing an undead creature, but I figured that the spate of undead (plus the nasty dobhar chú from last week) needed a little balance. So, these little guys will be very helpful to PCs in a ghast- and vampire-infested campaign, or they will make great opponents against evil characters who happen to be ghasts, vampires, or the like.

I hope you enjoy the ghost-hunting bat, and I'll be back next time with another monster. Thanks for reading!

Ghost-hunting bats resting after a successful hunt

This snowy white bat flits about while turning its ears to-and-fro in search of something unseen.

Ghost-Hunting Bat      CR 2

XP 600

NG Tiny magical beast

Init +3; Senses blindsense 50 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 15, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 size)

hp 19 (3d10+3)

Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +3

Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4

OFFENSE

Speed 5 ft., fly 50 ft. (good)

Melee bite +8 (1d3–4 plus drain inhibitor)

Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks channel positive energy (4/day, 2d6, DC 14), part the veil, raze undead

STATISTICS

Str 2, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 4, Wis 15, Cha 13

Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 10

Feats Improved Channel, Turn Undead, Weapon Finesse

Skills Fly +11, Perception +8 (+16 to locate undead or notice disguises used by undead), Stealth +11; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception to locate undead or notice disguises used by undead

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary, pair, or purge (3­–16)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Drain Inhibitor (Su) If a ghost-hunting bat deals damage to an undead creature, the target must attempt a DC 12 Will save. If it fails, it cannot use any ability that damages or drains attributes or levels through a negative energy effect until the beginning of the bat's next turn. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Part the Veil (Su) A ghost-hunting bat can unleash a cry as a standard action that causes all incorporeal undead within 30 feet that fail a DC 12 Will save to lose the benefits of incorporeality until the beginning of the bat's next turn. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Raze Undead (Su) When a ghost-hunting bat attacks an undead creature, it adds its Dexterity modifier to damage instead of its Strength modifier, and its bite counts as a magical weapon.

Bats seem naturally drawn to dark places, and undead creatures sometimes bend bats to their will to attack their foes. Ghost-hunting bats are also drawn to evil locations, but they are anathema to the undead and are implacable foes to the creatures. In natural settings, they gather in large groups to hunt undead. Their evolved abilities make them surprisingly effective against their chosen prey.

Good-aligned clerics and others who despise the undead attract ghost-hunting bats, which may come to the rescue for characters having a difficult time in combat with undead. A good character who has the Improved Familiar feat and 7 total levels in spellcasting classes can gain a ghost-hunting bat as a familiar.

Frightful Fridays! Dobhar Chú

Hello and welcome to a new installment of Frightful Fridays! Now that I'm done with *shudder* vampire clowns, I'm switching to something a little more mundane: a killer "water hound" that combines the adorableness of the otter with the attitude of a movie monster shark. Also, as I discovered when I read up on this guy, it eventually becomes a creature similar to the Loch Ness Monster when it "grows up." Fun stuff!

I hope you enjoy the dobhar chú, and I'll see you next time with a different monster. Thanks for reading!

This adorable monster and other sea monsters can be found here

This creature looks like a cross between a dog and an otter; its otter-like head is broad and flesh-rending teeth fill its mouth.

Dobhar Chú      CR 3

XP 800

NE Medium magical beast (aquatic)

Init +3; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +5

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 natural)

hp 32 (4d10+16)

Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +2

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., swim 80 ft.

Melee bite +6 (2d6+3 plus grab)

Special Attacks blood drain (1d2 Constitution), haunting screech, revenge seeker

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 17, Con 18, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 9

Base Atk +4; CMB +6 (+10 grapple); CMD 19 (23 vs. trip)

Feats Diehard, Endurance

Skills Intimidate +9, Perception +5, Swim +14; Racial Modifiers +8 Intimidate

ECOLOGY

Environment any water

Organization solitary or pair

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Haunting Screech (Su) Once per day as a swift action, a dobhar chú can unleash a horrifying scream. Creatures within 30 feet of the dobhar chú must succeed at a DC 11 Will save to avoid becoming shaken for 1d6 rounds. This is a sonic, mind-affecting, fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

When a dobhar chú dies, it sounds a similar screech that does not induce fear in opponents, but instead alerts its mate to the creature(s) responsible for its death. Its mate can hear the scream up to 1 mile away, even while underwater.

Revenge Seeker (Su) A dobhar chú that hears its mate's death cry enters into a rage. It gains +2 Constitution and +2 Strength, and takes a –2 penalty to its AC. Additionally, it benefits from locate creature for 1 hour, allowing it to find the creature that dealt the killing blow to its mate. This rage lasts for 1 hour or until its target is dead, whichever is shorter. The dobhar chú cannot end its rage voluntarily.

Dobhar chú are nasty creatures that menace even highly traveled waterways. They are voracious creatures that will kill and eat any living animal, but they prefer to attack humanoids who are unused to the water. The otter-like creatures use their unearthly shrieks to unnerve prey and relentlessly attack afterwards. Killing a dobhar chú does not end the threat, as the dying creature emits another shriek to call its mate, which enters into a frenzy wherein it gains the uncanny ability to find the one who delivered the killing blow.

Dobhar chú have a lifespan of roughly 20 years, but their aggressive natures usually cause them to die much earlier. While the creatures cannot become animal companions, they sometimes ally with evil aquatic druids, rangers, or hunters for protection, especially if it has lost its mate. Legend holds that a dobhar chú reaching its natural lifespan transforms into an elasmosaurus, and, in this form, the creature can truly terrorize visitors to its watery domain.