Frightful Fridays! A-Z! is nearing the end of its third week in the A-Z challenge, and today's monster resulted from some off-the-wall conversation among friends. Patrick turned up this mock SyFy monster and Paris posited the idea of making it fire-based and coined the name "pyranhaconda." This may have been the monster that convinced me to do the A-Z challenge--since I had something for "P" surely I could come up with the other 25. Then Patrick came up with the first monster in the series, the aerolion, so I was set.
I mentioned earlier that I didn't want to add a monster that would dilute the main feature monster, but the idea of salamander pyranhaconda wranglers got stuck in my head. So today's extra features a fully-statted salamander ranger with the special ability to take one of these fiery snake creatures as a companion.
I'll be back tomorrow for my normal slot here on Mythopoeic Rambling with monster "Q." See you then!
This unwholesome combination of constrictor snake and piranha radiates heat and flicks a fiery tongue between wicked teeth.
Pyranhaconda CR 14
XP 38,400
N Large Outsider (elemental, extraplanar, fire)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +31
Defense
AC 29, touch 13, flat-footed 25 (+3 Dex, -1 size, +16 natural, +1 dodge)
hp 199 (19d10+95)
Fort +16, Ref +14, Will +9
Defensive Abilities hardness 5; Immune elemental traits, fire
Weakness vulnerability to cold
Offense
Speed 50 ft., climb 20 ft.
Melee bite +26 (3d6+10 plus 2d6 fire, burn, and grab)
Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.
Special Attacks breath weapon (30-ft. cone, once every 1d4 rounds, 4d6 fire damage, Reflex DC 24 for half), burn (2d6, DC 24), constrict +25 (3d6+10), vicious bite
Statistics
Str 24, Dex 17, Con 21, Int 5, Wis 16, Cha 14
Base Atk +19; CMB +27 (+35 grapple); CMD 41 (43 vs. grapple, can't be tripped)
Feats Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Greater Grapple, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Grapple, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception), Weapon Focus (bite)
Skills Climb +21, Escape Artist +15, Intimidate +22, Perception +31, Survival +15
Languages Ignan (can't speak)
Ecology
Environment Plane of Fire or active volcanoes
Organization solitary or pair
Treasure standard (gems, jewels and other items that can withstand fire)
Special Abilities
Hardness (Ex) While on the Material Plane, a pyranhaconda gains a stony shell that grants the creature hardness 5. Breaking the shell requires a DC 24 Strength check and subjects the character to the pyranhaconda’s burn ability. A pyranhaconda loses this ability when it is on the Plane of Fire.
Vicious Bite (Ex) As a full-round action, a pyranhaconda can make 2 bite attacks against one target at its full attack bonus. The attack only deals 2d6 points of fire damage, and the pyranhaconda makes a single grab attempt.
Terrible predators on the Plane of Fire, a pyranhaconda becomes a comparative nightmare when it emerges on the Material Plane. It brings an array of death-dealing attacks with it and will find a way to dispatch its prey, whether by biting, burning or crushing the life out of it. Relatively weightless on the Plane of Fire, a pyranhaconda’s magmatic exterior reverts to stone on the Material Plane, giving the creature a weight of 800 pounds. A pyranhaconda measures 10 feet in length.
A pyranhaconda is a native to the Plane of Fire and even most denizens of that plane give the creature a wide berth. However, certain powerful salamanders have been able to establish a rapport with the creature and have a measure of control over it. These pyranhaconda wranglers bring their companions with them when they travel to other planes to launch attacks on unsuspecting communities.
A pyranhaconda, by its very aggressive nature, do not typically live to its natural lifespan of 50 years. However, if one of these creatures somehow survives to old age, it actually becomes much larger and more powerful, so the rarity of aged pyranhacondas is a blessing.
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Pyranhaconda Wrangler CR 13
XP 25,600
Salamander Ranger 8
CE Medium outsider (extraplanar, fire)
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +28
Defense
AC 26, touch 17, flat-footed 21 (+4 Dex, +9 natural, +2 deflection, +1 dodge)
hp 188 (16d10+96)
Fort +18, Ref +16, Will +9
DR 10/magic; Immune fire
Weakness vulnerability to cold
Offense
Speed 20 ft.
Melee +1 bane (outsider [water]) longspear +21/+16/+11/+6 (1d8+7/19-20/x3 plus 1d6 fire) and tail slap +20 (2d6+6 plus 1d6 fire)
Special Attacks constrict (2d6+4 plus 1d6 fire), favored enemies (humans +2, water outsiders +4), heat
Ranger Spells Prepared (CL 5; concentration +8)
2 (2/day)—protection from energy x2
1 (2/day)—longstrider, magic fang
Statistics
Str 19, Dex 18, Con 22, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 13
Base Atk +16; CMB +20; CMD 37 (can't be tripped)
Feats Cleave, Dodge, Endurance, Furious Focus, Improved Critical (spear), Iron Will, Mobility, Power Attack, Pushing Assault, Skill Focus (Handle Animal), Skill Focus (Perception)
Skills Acrobatics +23, Bluff +20, Climb +15, Craft (weaponsmithing) +15, Handle Animal +26, Intimidate +20, Knowledge (planes) +13, Perception +28, Sense Motive +22, Stealth +23
Languages Common, Ignan
SQ animal companion link, combat styles (two-handed weapon), favored terrains (mountainous +2, Plane of Fire +4), hunter's bonds (hunter's bond [animal companion]), share spells with companion, pyranhaconda companion, swift tracker, track, wild empathy, woodland stride
Other Gear +1 bane (outsider [water]) longspear, amulet of natural armor +2, belt of physical might (+4 Dex and Con), ring of protection +2
Special Abilities
Heat (Ex) A pyranhaconda wrangler generates so much heat that its mere touch deals additional fire damage. The creature's metallic melee weapons also conduct this heat.
Pyranhaconda Companion (Ex) As an extension of a pyranhaconda wrangler's animal companion ability, it can take a pyranhaconda as a companion of sorts. The creature does not follow the druid's animal companion progression, but the wrangler has a link with its pyranhaconda companion and can share spells with it. However, the pyranhaconda requires a Handle Animal check from the wrangler to convince it to do something it does not wish to do (for example, not eat every creature in sight).
