I hope you enjoy this week's entry, and I'll be back next week (probably not with four new creatures, though). Thanks for reading!
This large stone frog’s skin glistens with some sort of liquid. The creature moves slowly and deliberately.
Caustic Rana CR 9
XP 6,400
N Small outsider (earth, elemental, native)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20
Defense
AC 24, touch 16, flat-footed 19 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural, +1 size)
hp 126 (12d10+60)
Fort +9, Ref +12, Will +13
Immune acid, elemental traits
Offense
Speed 20 ft., climb 10 ft.
Melee bite +17 (1d6+1 plus 2d6 acid plus acid burn)
Special Attacks acid spray, acid burn (1d6, DC 21)
Statistics
Str 13, Dex 18, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 17
Base Atk +12; CMB +15 (+19 bull rush); CMD 27 (29 vs. bull rush, 31 vs. trip)
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Dodge, Greater Bull Rush, Improved Bull Rush, Power Attack, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +13, Climb +18, Escape Artist +19, Intimidate +12, Knowledge (local) +15, Perception +20, Sense Motive +14, Stealth +17 (+25 when stationary); Racial Modifiers +8 Stealth when stationary
SQ hardened carapace
Ecology
Environment any marsh or swamp
Organization solitary, pair, or army (3–12)
Treasure incidental
Special Abilities
Acid Burn (Ex) When a caustic rana bites an opponent or damages an opponent with its acid spray, the foe must succeed at a DC 21 Reflex save or take 1d6 points of acid damage at the start of its turn for 1d6 rounds. This otherwise operates like the burn ability.
Acid Spray (Ex) A caustic rana can spray as a standard action, dealing 12d6 damage to all creatures in a 30-foot cone (DC 21 Reflex save for half). The save DC is Constitution-based. All creatures struck by the spray are subject to additional damage from acid burn. As a result of using acid spray, the caustic rana takes 12 points of damage.
Hardened Carapace (Ex) Once per day, a caustic rana starting its turn touching earth can take a full-round action to grant itself the benefit of stoneskin (maximum 120 points of damage). This benefit lasts for 6 hours.
The smallest of the elemental beasts, a caustic rana has a stony exterior and a juicy (albeit nasty) interior. This earth elemental creature takes the form of a frog and lives in the same swampy preferred by its lookalikes. A caustic rana is still much larger than a typical frog considering its 2-foot diameter size and weight over 100 pounds.
A caustic rana is the least overtly aggressive of the elemental beasts and seems content to spend hours sitting in the same spot where it contemplates its surroundings. For those creatures peacefully approaching a caustic rana and discovering a way to communicate with it, the rana provides a wealth of information about its marshy surroundings. Once provoked, though, the creature attempts to bowl over its foes with bull rush attacks and occasionally lets loose with its acid spray, depending on how desperate its situation is. A black or copper dragon may also goad a caustic rana into action in accordance with the pact between dragons and elemental beasts; the dragon usually gathers a few of the creatures to soften up foes or push them into range of its acid breath weapon.
As a caustic rana ages it grows incredibly large while its stony carapace softens. When the creature nears the end of its centuries-long lifespan, it finds a suitably swampy location where its shell fully dissolves, allowing its essence to fuse with the earth to create two to four new caustic ranas. A caustic rana that perishes before it reaches its natural lifespan will generate one new rana provided it dies while it is on earth.
Electricat CR 9
XP 6,400
N Medium outsider (air, elemental, native)
Init +6; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +18
Defense
AC 23, touch 17, flat-footed 16 (+6 Dex, +1 dodge, +6 natural)
hp 114 (12d10+48)
Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +7
Immune electricity, elemental traits
Offense
Speed 60 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee 2 claws +18 (1d4+2 plus 1d6 electricity), bite +18 (1d6+2 plus 1d6 electricity)
Special Attacks death throes, lightning strike, pounce, rake (2 claws +18, 1d4+2 plus 1d6 electricity)
Statistics
Str 14, Dex 23, Con 18, Int 7, Wis 16, Cha 15
Base Atk +12; CMB +18; CMD 31 (35 vs. trip)
Feats Agile Maneuvers, Dodge, Mobility, Skill Focus (Acrobatics), Spring Attack, Weapon Finesse
Skills Acrobatics +24 (+36 when jumping), Climb +14, Intimidate +12, Perception +18, Sense Motive +18, Stealth +13
SQ recharge
Ecology
Environment any terrestrial
Organization solitary, pair, or pride (3–6)
Treasure none
Special Abilities
Death Throes (Su) When an electricat dies, it explodes in a ball of lightning that deals 20d6 electricity damage (DC 20 Reflex save for half) to all creatures within a 10-foot radius of the electricat. Several arcs also shoot harmlessly from the ball up to 200 feet away. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Lightning Strike (Su) Once per round, as a move action, an electricat can transform itself into an arc of lightning, ranging from 30 to 120 feet in length, which strikes everyone in the line for 12d6 electricity damage (DC 20 Reflex save for half). The cat ends its move at the terminus of the lightning, and it takes 12 points of damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Recharge (Su) If an attack dealing electricity damage strikes an electricat, the creature gains temporary hit points equal to half the damage dealt.
When lightning-infused air elementals sought out a predator to mimic, they discovered a pair of cheetahs bringing down their prey. The elemental beast known as the electricat embodies the speed and grace of large cats and hunts the same plains and deserts they do. A typical electricat is as large as an adult tiger, lion or cheetah, but it weighs almost nothing.
Much like the large cat it resembles, an electricat attacks from ambush. It uses its lightning strike ability to catch the most foes its can and terminates the strike next to a creature it can attack immediately afterwards. Blue and bronze dragons rarely employ electricats, since they prove to be too easily distracted and more trouble than they are worth. If a dragon can get an electricat to focus on a task, it aids the creature—while simultaneously harming its foes—using its breath weapon.
Seemingly corresponding to an electricat’s short attention span, the creature also has a relatively short lifespan—usually no more than 20 years. As the creature nears the end of its life, it resembles a ball of static more than a cat. If allowed to reach its natural lifespan, an electricat finds a massive thunderstorm to wait under until a large bolt of lightning strikes it, whereupon it explodes harmlessly and releases dozens of smaller strokes that land nearby. Where the smaller arcs strike, one can find a tiny ball that looks like a kitten.
This tyranosaurus rex has a hardened shell made of basalt. Its hot breath precedes a lick of flame, and then gouts of magma.
Magmasaurus Rex CR 9
XP 6,400
N Large outsider (elemental, fire, native)
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +18
Defense
AC 23, touch 13, flat-footed 19 (+4 Dex, +10 natural, –1 size)
hp 126 (12d10+60)
Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +11
Immune fire, elemental traits
Weaknesses vulnerable to cold
Offense
Speed 40 ft., swim 20 ft.
Melee bite +18 (2d8+6/19–20 plus 1d6 fire), 2 claws +17 (1d8+6 plus 1d6 fire)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks magmic breath, burn (1d6, DC 21)
Statistics
Str 22, Dex 19, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 17, Cha 14
Base Atk +12; CMB +19; CMD 33
Feats Critical Focus, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Sickening Critical, Skill Focus (Intimidate), Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Acrobatics +10, Intimidate +23, Perception +18, Sense Motive +18, Swim +23
Ecology
Environment any hot terrestrial
Organization solitary, pair, or flow (3–6)
Treasure incidental
Special Abilities
Magmic Breath (Ex) A magmasaurus rex can breathe a 60-foot cone of lava that deals 12d6 points of fire damage (DC 21 Reflex save for half) and inflicts 1d6 points of burn (DC 21 Reflex save). This also deals 12 points of damage to the magmasaurus. The save DCs are Constitution-based.
The elemental creatures that eventually became magmasaurus rexes emerged in a primeval portion of the world where dinosaurs still roamed and active volcanoes dotted the land. They chose to take the shape of the apex predator in the area: the tyranosaurus rex. A magmasaurus rex stands 10 feet tall and weighs 1 ton.
A volatile creature, a magmasaurus rex attacks other creatures with little provocation. Even in a land of terrible reptilian creatures, a magmasaurus rex is reasonably assured of its superiority. Only red dragons and the occasional gold dragon can command a magmasaurus, and they call on them solely for brute force tactics. A group of magmasaurus rexes typically heralds the arrival of a dragon; most people who know about the relationship between elemental beasts and dragons hope (usually in vain) that a gold dragon trails the creatures.
A magmasaurus rex has a somewhat modest lifespan of 150 years. When it nears time for the creature to die naturally, it enters an active volcano and rests for the first time in its life. As the creature’s shell melts, its essence merges with the lava in the volcano; when the volcano erupts, it releases a dozen new magmasaurus rexes throughout the neighboring area. Even the essence of a magmasaurus that perishes before its natural lifespan will find its way to the nearest volcano, sometimes taking decades depending on the creature’s distance from one.
Image attributed to 'Plutthares'
This creature looks like an enormous mastodon with tusks made of ice, but it also has some ursine features and a wicked, ice-barbed tail.
Iljanne Karhu CR 9
XP 6,400
N Huge outsider (cold, elemental, water)
Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +25
Defense
AC 23, touch 9, flat-footed 22 (+1 Dex, +14 natural, –2 size)
hp 126 (12d10+60)
Fort +13, Ref +5, Will +12
Immune cold, elemental traits
Weaknesses vulnerable to fire
Offense
Speed 50 ft., burrow 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Melee gore +17 (2d8+7/19–20 plus 1d6 cold plus stun), slam +17 (2d6+7 plus 1d6 cold plus stun), tail slap +12 (2d6+3 plus 1d6 cold plus stun)
Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.
Special Attacks arctic blast, powerful charge (gore, 4d8+20), stun, trample (2d6+10, DC 23)
Statistics
Str 24, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 18, Cha 17
Base Atk +12; CMB +21; CMD 32
Feats Greater Overrun, Improved Critical (gore), Improved Overrun, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception), Skill Focus (Stealth)
Skills Acrobatics +8 (+16 when jumping), Intimidate +18, Perception +25, Sense Motive +13, Stealth +12 (+28 in arctic terrain), Swim +22; Racial Modifiers +16 Stealth in arctic terrain
Ecology
Environment any cold terrestrial
Organization solitary, pair, or celebration (3–6)
Treasure incidental
Special Abilities
Arctic Blast (Ex) An iljanne karhu can spray a 30-foot cone of needlelike ice shards that deals 9d6 points of cold damage and 6d6 points of piercing damage (DC 21 Reflex save for half). This also deals 15 points of damage to the iljanne karhu. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Stun (Ex) Any creature taking cold damage from an iljanne karhu’s attacks (including its arctic blast) must succeed at a DC 21 Fortitude save to avoid becoming stunned for 1 round due to the numbing cold.
The largest and most bizarre elemental beast (at least in an aesthetic sense), an iljanne karhu seemingly resulted from the visiting water elementals’ indecision between a wooly mammoth and a polar bear as its template. The resulting creature has the most terrifying aspects of both and seems content to be the alpha predator in its habitat. The creature stands 15 feet tall and weighs 5 tons.
An iljanne karhu uses its natural camouflage to hide from prey and foes alike. It prefers to emerge from hiding in a charge that it intends to use to flatten the nearest victim. It also enjoys taking foes by surprise from underneath the ice-encrusted surface of large bodies of water. It breaks through the ice, potentially knocking opponents into the water where it can usually out-swim them and attack at its leisure—or wait for its victims to drown. Even with the pact between dragons and elemental beasts, an iljanne karhu will only follow a white dragon’s lead if the dragon proves its superiority. Most often, the two creatures fight each other when they meet. Silver dragons command an iljanne karhu’s respect, but they rarely make use of one.
An iljanne karhu has an extremely long lifespan—approaching one millennium. A dying iljanne karhu makes a pilgrimage to one of the world’s poles at the dead of winter and dies alone. A decade later, the creature’s essence gives rise to 5-10 juvenile iljanne karhus. If an iljanne karhu dies before it can make this pilgrimage, its essence still gets carried on the winds and in the water until it reaches a pole, thus delaying the process by another couple decades.
