Today's Frightful Fridays! A-Z! entry goes back to the sea. Unlike the other aquatic creatures presented here, this one might actually be helpful. It still won't have the characters' best interests at heart, though, and will use them as a means to an end--hopefully one the characters want to achieve as well. The extra feature derives from the nautilophalange's bane ability and is a spell that a character in the business of dispatching enemy creatures can use to get some additional assistance.
I'll see you again for tomorrow's "O" monster. Thanks for reading!
This large lobster has eyes that are decidedly unlobsterlike and, more unusually, a hand in place of its claws and antennae.
Nautilophalange CR 7
XP 3,200
LN Small aberration (aquatic)
Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +20
Defense
AC 20, touch 16, flat-footed 15 (+5 Dex, +1 size, +4 natural)
hp 85 (10d8+40)
Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +10
Immune acid, cold, electricity
Offense
Speed 5 ft., swimming (40 feet)
Melee slam +13 (1d4-3 plus 3d6 electricity, 3d6 fire, and paralysis)
Special Attacks aberration bane, paralysis (1d4+4 rounds, DC 19)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +14)
At Will—detect aberration, detect chaos, protection from chaos
3/day—spiritual weapon
1/day—order's wrath (DC 18)
Statistics
Str 5, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 21, Wis 17, Cha 18
Base Atk +7; CMB +3; CMD 18 (can't be tripped)
Feats Alertness, Skill Focus (Knowledge [dungeoneering]), Skill Focus (Knowledge [local]), Skill Focus (Knowledge [planes]), Weapon Finesse
Skills Diplomacy +22, Escape Artist +13, Fly +7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +21, Knowledge (history) +15, Knowledge (local) +21, Knowledge (planes) +21, Perception +20, Sense Motive +17, Spellcraft +18, Stealth +9, Swim +13; Racial Modifiers +8 Diplomacy
Languages Abyssal, Aklo, Aquan, Celestial, Common, Undercommon; telepathy (60 feet)
Ecology
Environment any aquatic
Organization solitary, pair, or association (3–12)
Treasure standard
Special Abilities
Aberration Bane (Su) A nautilophalange has a +4 bonus on Knowledge (dungeoneering), Perception, Sense Motive and Stealth checks against aberrations. Additionally, it gains a +4 bonus on weapon and damage rolls against aberrations. Finally, once per day, it can give its melee attacks the bane (aberrations) quality for 10 rounds.
A self-appointed arbiter of the world under the surface of the oceans and seas, a nautilophalange is also a dedicated hunter of all things chaotic and aberrant. The fact that it is also an aberration does not escape the creature, but that does not deter it from carrying out its mission. A nautilophalange measures 3 feet in length and weighs 40 pounds.
In addition to its role as crusader against chaotic beings and aberrations, a nautilophalange serves as an oceanic diplomat. When undersea nations need to negotiate with surface or other undersea nations, their leaders call upon a nautilophalange’s services. A nautilophalange has a reputation for evenness when it mediates a dispute for two (or more) sides, surprisingly so even if aberrations are involved. However, a nautilophalange will never negotiate a truce between its own race and those it regards as enemies.
When not negotiating or hunting, a nautilophalange is fairly aloof when it deals with other creatures. Only when a crisis arises where a nautilophalange is in a situation beyond its capabilities will it approach characters from the surface. Nautilophalange inquisitors developed lend bane, which allows them to grant a small measure of their power against aberrations to powerful parties who prove willing to help the nautilophalanges in their crusade. Nautilophalanges have an especial hatred for aboleths, which knowledgeable sages speculate derives from the creatures’ origins as an aboleth-created slave race. Perhaps because of this, nautilophalanges hold a begrudging respect for other aberrations that have risen above their origins, such as the unictopus.
A nautilophalange mates for life; the pair produces five young every five years, and the creatures reach maturity after five years. A nautilophalange that reaches old age dies exactly 125 years after its birth.
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Lend Bane
School transmutation; Level inquisitor 3, ranger 2
Casting Time 1 round
Components V, S
Range touch
Target creature touched
Duration 1 min./level
Saving Throw Will negates (harmless); Spell Resistance yes
By means of this spell, you impart a partial amount of your hatred for certain foes to the recipient. For the duration of the spell, the recipient gains a diminished version of your ranger’s favored enemy ability or your inquisitor’s bane ability, depending on which ability you possess; if you have both abilities, you impart both to the recipient. A recipient who gains the favored enemy ability gains half your bonuses to skill checks, attack rolls and damage rolls against your favored enemies. The granted bane ability can be used for a number of rounds equal to half your inquisitor level, and the rounds need not be consecutive.
Only one target at a time can benefit from this spell; if you cast it again, you dismiss the previous casting.
