Frightful Fridays! Star Conqueror

Hello, and welcome back to another edition of Frightful Fridays! (Saturday edition) My friend Jason asked me to stat up Starro, one of the first Silver Age comic book supervillains. I realized I hadn't ever done a comic book creature for the blog, and this seemed like a suitable choice for the first such monster.

I hope you enjoy the star conqueror, and I'll hopefully have a monster lined up for this Friday. Thanks for reading!

Image courtesy of Wikipedia

Several smaller starfish attend this enormous purple starfish. A malevolent eye glares from the center of the being.

Star Conqueror      CR 18

XP 153,600

NE Gargantuan aberration

Init –2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +39

DEFENSE

AC 34, touch 4, flat-footed 34 (–2 Dex, +30 natural, –4 size)

hp 322 (28d8+196); fast healing 10

Fort +16, Ref +7, Will +20

DR 10/—; Resist acid 30, cold 30, electricity 30, fire 30, sonic 30; SR 29

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (perfect), swim 90 ft.; starflight

Melee 2 slams +29 (8d6+12/19–20)

Space 20 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

Special Attacks energy projection, spore release

Statistics

Str 35, Dex 6, Con 24, Int 21, Wis 18, Cha 17

Base Atk +21; CMB +37; CMD 45 (49 vs. trip)

Feats Alertness, Bludgeoner^UC, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Critical Focus, Greater Feint, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Feint, Magical Aptitude, Outflank^APG, Persuasive, Power Attack, Staggering Critical, Stunning Critical

Skills Bluff +31, Diplomacy +21, Fly +17, Intimidate +38, Knowledge (arcana) +36, Knowledge (geography) +33, Perception +39, Sense Motive +36, Spellcraft +40, Use Magic Device +35

Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Infernal; telepathy 180 ft.

SQ hive mind, no breath

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization invasion (star conqueror plus 1–6 greater star spores and 3–12 lesser star spores)

Treasure none

Special Abilities

Energy Projection (Ex) When a spell dealing energy damage does not bypass a greater star spore’s spell resistance or energy resistance, it stores the energy damage. It can store up to 60 points of damage in this way. As a standard action, it can release the energy through up to 6 rays, with which it makes touch attacks against one or more targets. The total stored damage is divided evenly between the individual rays.

Hive Mind (Ex) As long as one star spore is within 300 feet of a star conqueror, if one of the group is aware of a particular danger, they all are. The star conqueror is only considered flanked or flat-footed when all of the group is.

Spore Release (Ex) Once per hour as a full-round action, a star conqueror can release 1d4 greater star spores and 2d4 lesser star spores. Its maintains telepathic communication with spores it releases regardless of distance, unless they are on different planes.

Starflight (Su) A star conqueror can survive in the void of outer space. It flies through space at an incredible speed. A trip within a single solar system takes 3d20 hours, while a trip beyond the solar system takes 3d20 days (or more, at the GM’s discretion). If the star conqueror does not know the way to its destination, the time increases drastically.

This oversized starfish floats in the air. An eye protrudes from the top of the starfish, while the underside has a maw filled with serrated teeth.

Greater Star Spore      CR 14

XP 38,400

NE Large aberration

Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +31

DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 8, flat-footed 28 (–1 Dex, +20 natural, –1 size)

hp 210 (20d8+120); fast healing 5

Fort +12, Ref +5, Will +16

DR 5/—; Resist acid 20, cold 20, electricity 20, fire 20, sonic 20; SR 25

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (perfect), swim 90 ft.

Melee 2 slams +23 (6d6+9/19–20 plus grab)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks energy projection

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +22)

   At will—dominate monster (DC 21)

STATISTICS

Str 29, Dex 8, Con 22, Int 17, Wis 18, Cha 15

Base Atk +15; CMB +25 (+29 grapple); CMD 34 (38 vs. trip)

Feats Alertness, Bludgeoner^UC, Cleave, Combat Expertise, Greater Feint, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Feint, Outflank^APG, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Intimidate)

Skills Bluff +22, Fly +28, Intimidate +31, Knowledge (arcana) +26, Perception +31, Sense Motive +28, Spellcraft +26, Swim +17

Languages Abyssal, Common, Infernal; telepathy 120 ft.

SQ hive mind

ECOLOGY

Environment any

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

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Dominate Monster (Sp) A greater star spore can only use its dominate monster spell-like ability when it pins a creature or maintains a pin. It uses this ability as a move action. If the star spore is removed from its victim, the dominate monster spell ends.

Energy Projection (Ex) When a spell dealing energy damage does not bypass a greater star spore’s spell resistance or energy resistance, it stores the energy damage. It can store up to 60 points of damage in this way. As a standard action, it can release the energy through up to 6 rays, with which it makes touch attacks against one or more targets. The total stored damage is divided evenly between the individual rays.

Hive Mind (Ex) As long as there are at least two star spores, or one star spore and the star conqueror, within 300 feet of each other, if one of the group is aware of a particular danger, they all are. No star spore in a group is considered flanked or flat-footed unless all of them are.

This smaller starfish floats in the air. While less powerful than its brethren, it nonetheless radiates a palpable menace.

Lesser Star Spore      CR 10

XP 9,600

NE Small aberration

Init +1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +22

DEFENSE

AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 23 (+1 Dex, +12 natural, +1 size)

hp 127 (15d8+60); fast healing 2

Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +13

DR 5/—; Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, sonic 10; SR 21

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 90 ft. (perfect), swim 90 ft.

Melee 2 slams +17 (4d6+4/19–20 plus grab)

Special Attacks energy projection

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +16)

   At will—dominate person (DC 16)

STATISTICS

Str 19, Dex 12, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 18, Cha 13

Base Atk +11; CMB +14 (+18 grapple); CMD 25 (29 vs. trip)

Feats Cleave, Combat Expertise, Greater Feint, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Feint, Outflank^APG, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam)

Skills Bluff +16, Fly +29, Intimidate +19, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Perception +22, Swim +12

Languages Common; telepathy 90 ft.

SQ hive mind

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary, pair, or minor dominance (3–8)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Dominate Person (Sp) A lesser star spore can only use its dominate person spell-like ability when it pins a creature or maintains a pin. It uses this ability as a move action. If the star spore is removed from its victim, the dominate person spell ends.

Energy Projection (Ex) When a spell dealing energy damage does not bypass a greater star spore’s spell resistance or energy resistance, it stores the energy damage. It can store up to 40 points of damage in this way. As a standard action, it can release the energy through up to 5 rays, with which it makes touch attacks against one or more targets. The total stored damage is divided evenly between the individual rays.

Hive Mind (Ex) As long as there are at least two star spores, or one star spore and the star conqueror, within 300 feet of each other, if one of the group is aware of a particular danger, they all are. No star spore in a group is considered flanked or flat-footed unless all of them are.

The star conqueror is a unique being whose sole aim is to dominate the known universe. It does this by unleashing thousands of star spores, which look nearly identical to it, on a planet and letting them seek out creatures they can enslave. Once the entire populace of intelligent creatures has star spores controlling it, the conqueror moves on to the next inhabited planet to continue the process. The star conqueror can carry hundreds of star spores on it and shelter them in the depths of space. It also produces a hundred new spores per day.

Star spores control their hosts to protect them and destroy any opposition. A host benefits from the star spores’ immunities and resistances, but star spores just fly to another potential host when previous hosts die. Star spores usually attach to their hosts’ faces, making it very easy to spot creatures under their control. Occasionally, when their desire for subterfuge overcomes their arrogance, they find subtler locations on their victims, such as the chest or back, to which they attach.

Frightful Fridays! Gorillagator

Hello, and welcome to a new Frightful Fridays! I'm at a local convention this weekend, organizing and playing in Pathfinder Society games. As it turns out, it's been a while since I've unleashed a mashup monster on the blog, so this is a good time for it. I also get to point out how wizards are dumb with their owlbears and other hybrids they dump into an unsuspecting world.

I hope you like the combat machine that is the gorillagator. I'll be back next week with another monster. Thanks for reading!

This cool rendition of the gorillagator can be found here

This massive alligator has a mix of reptilian skin and gorilla fur. It features an elongated, toothy alligator snout, and muscular arms and legs belonging to a gorilla.

Gorillagator      CR 11

XP 12,800

CE Huge magical beast

Init +5; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +19

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 9, flat-footed 24 (+1 Dex, +16 natural, –2 size)

hp 147 (14d10+70)

Fort +14, Ref +10, Will +6

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.; sprint

Melee bite +19 (2d6+7/19–20 plus grab), 2 claws +20 (2d4+7 plus grab), tail slap +14 (1d6+3)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks blood rage, death roll, rend (2 claws, 2d4+10), terrifying scream

STATISTICS

Str 25, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 10

Base Atk +14; CMB +23 (+27 grapple); CMD 34 (38 vs. trip)

Feats Crippling Critical^APG, Critical Focus, Dazzling Display, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Intimidating Prowess, Weapon Focus (claw)

Skills Climb +15, Intimidate +23, Perception +19, Swim +15; Racial Modifiers +16 Intimidate

ECOLOGY

Environment warm marshes

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

Treasure incidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Blood Rage (Ex) When a gorillagator takes damage in combat, on its next turn it can fly into a rage as a free action. It gains +2 Constitution and +2 Strength, and gains a +8 morale bonus on Will saves against mind-affecting spells and effects, but it takes a –2 penalty to its AC. The rage lasts as long as the battle or 1 minute, whichever is shorter. It cannot end its rage voluntarily.

Terrifying Scream (Ex) As a free action at the beginning of combat, a gorillagator can unleash a unsettlingly loud scream. Each flat-footed creature within 30 feet of the gorillagator must make a DC 19 Will save or become shaken for 1 minute. The save DC is Charisma-based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

Gorillagators resulted when a cabal of transmuters reasoned they could do better than the owlbear. In their hubris, they created a pair of fecund creatures fusing the torso of a gorilla to the body of an alligator. In the process, they added a component of insatiable anger, resulting in their creations turning on them, escaping, and producing offspring. The terrifying animal hybrids clear out their marshy homes, and then turn on each other when food runs out.

Gorillagators start combat by attempting to demoralize their opponents, with their awful screams and displays of might. The creatures are susceptible to mind control at this time. However, as soon as something injures them, they fly into a rage that makes it considerably more difficult to affect their minds. Gorillagators fight to the death.

Frightful Fridays! Geleton

Hello, and welcome back to another edition of Frightful Fridays! Today's monster completes the triumvirate started with the bloodbag and continuing with the meatshield. As with the bloodbag, the idea for the geleton came from my nearly adult child. Now might be a good place to mention that I take requests for monsters (I do have a couple in the pipeline, but I'm happy to take more). Like the other two monsters, I hope I succeeded at taking a silly concept and turning it into a viably scary creature.

I also hope you can use the geleton in your games. I'll be back again on Friday with another critter. Thanks for reading!

They look delicious!

This bones belonging to this strangely-colored skeleton bend at odd angles.

Geleton      CR 7

XP 3,200

CE Medium aberration

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +16

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 14, flat-footed 16 (+4 Dex, +6 natural)

hp 85 (10d8+40); fast healing 2

Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +10

Defensive Abilities amorphous, dissolution, sticky body; DR 5/slashing; Immune acid

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee slam +13 (2d6+9 plus 4d6 acid and 1d4 Con damage)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +12)

   3/day—wall of ectoplasm^OA (DC 17)

STATISTICS

Str 22, Dex 19, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 14

Base Atk +7; CMB +13 (+17 disarm); CMD 28 (30 vs. disarm)

Feats Combat Expertise, Deceitful, Greater Disarm, Improved Disarm, Stealthy

Skills Acrobatics +16, Bluff +16, Climb +10, Disguise +16, Escape Artist +21, Perception +16, Stealth +21

Languages Aklo, Common

SQ compression, duplicate

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

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

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Dissolution (Ex) If a piercing or slashing weapon deals damage to a geleton, the weapon must succeed at a DC 19 Reflex save or take 4d6 points of acid damage. Weapons made of bone take no acid damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Duplicate (Ex) If a geleton reduces a creature to 0 Con, as a move action, it disgorges some of its liquid interior on the remaining skeleton (dealing 20 points of damage in the process). One round later, a new geleton arises, but it only has half the maximum hp.

Sticky Body (Ex) If a weapon strikes a geleton, it can attempt a disarm check as an immediate action. It gains the benefit of its feats when it attempts to disarm its opponent.

Geletons are tumescent bags of acidic ectoplasm taking the structure provided by skeletons that resist their acid. The acid makes bones pliable without destroying them, so they can easily contort themselves and squeeze into tight spaces. They “reproduce” by reducing victims to their skeletons and then imparting some of their essence to the new receptacles. Since this weakens them, they usually try to attack solitary victims. In the process of dissolving flesh, they render it into ectoplasm, which trails behind them and allows them to create walls of the material.

Geletons enjoy playing on superstitions and beliefs about the undead they mimic and act accordingly when targeted by positive energy. While they prefer to roam together and spawn more geletons, they also ally with necromancers and actual undead. In return for providing surprises against their allies’ opponents, they receive previously animated undead that are no longer viable.

Frightful Fridays! Dire Pink Fairy Armadillo

Hello, and welcome back to another edition of Frightful Fridays! I'm taking a break from the creepy to bring you something cute this week. However, the dire pink fairy armadillo's cuteness is deceptive, because it's got sharp claws that will dig furrows in characters just as deep as those they create in the ground. Should a grasslands druid, ranger, hunter, or other animal-companioned character want one, they're available.

I hope you enjoy the dire pink fairy armadillo, and I'll see you next week with another monster. Thanks for reading!

The likelihood is high that another FF! entry will come from this link.

This pink, armor-plated animal is low to the ground; its claws are definitely built for digging but look like they could inflict harm on flesh.

Dire Pink Fairy Armadillo      CR 3

XP 800

N Small animal

Init +7; Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +6

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 13, flat-footed 14 (+3 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)

hp 30 (4d8+12)

Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., swim 20 ft.; sand glide

Melee 2 claws +7 (1d6+3)

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 13

Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 18 (22 vs. trip)

Feats Improved Initiative, Reactive Burrower

Skills Acrobatics +7, Perception +6, Stealth +11, Swim +11

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate and warm plains

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

Treasure none

Dire pink fairy armadillos are gigantic cousin to pink fairy armadillos and considerably more aggressive. Also unlike their smaller cousins, they are more comfortable gathering in groups. A typical hunting tactic for a roll of armadillos is to leave one out as prey for a potential predator, while the others lie in wait just under the ground’s surface. When the unsuspecting creature draws close, the hiding armadillos leap out of their hiding spots and savage the victim with their claws.

Lone dire pink fairy armadillos take a more defensive approach to confrontation and rely on their burrowing ability to avoid predators. Since they virtually swim through loose earth, they leave little trace for pursuers. These armadillos usually wait until the last second to drive into the ground to confound predators.

Dire Pink Fairy Armadillo Companions

The fierceness possessed by dire pink fairy armadillos makes them good candidates for animal companions. Note that these armadillos have access to the Reactive Burrower feat when choosing a feat for them.

Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 30 ft., burrow 10 ft., swim 20 ft., sand glide; AC +2 natural armor; Attack 2 claws (1d4); Ability Scores: Str 15, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 2, Cha 13; Special Qualities low-light vision, scent.

4th Level Advancement: Size Medium; Speed 30 ft., burrow 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC +4 natural armor; Attack 2 claws (1d8); Ability Scores Str +4, Dex –2, Con +4.

New Feat

Dire pink fairy armadillos can react to danger and dive into the ground to avoid being hit by a foe. Other creatures with a burrow speed can take the below feat.

Reactive Burrower

You can take to the safety of the earth when threatened by an attack.

Prerequisites: Burrow speed.

Benefit: As an immediate action, you can burrow 5 feet into the ground in response to an attack. You gain a +4 circumstance bonus to Armor Class when using this feat. Your burrow speed decreases by 5 feet during your turn. You must be aware of the attack to use this feat, and you cannot use this feat if you are denied your Dexterity bonus to Armor Class.