I hope you enjoy the jewel caterpillar, and I'll be back again soon with another monster. Thanks for reading!
This spiky caterpillar
appears to be made from a translucent crystal.
Jewel
Caterpillar CR 4
XP 1,200
N Diminutive magical beast
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., gem sense 60
ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +6
DEFENSE
AC 19, touch 17,
flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +4 size)
hp 42 (5d10+15)
Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +3
Defensive Abilities
fade out; DR 5/bludgeoning; Immune electricity, fire; Resist acid 10
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., climb
10 ft.
Melee bite +4
(1d2–5
plus poison)
Ranged energy ray
+12 touch (3d6 acid, cold, electricity, or fire [see below])
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks
consume gem, poison, spines
STATISTICS
Str 1, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +5; CMB +4; CMD 9 (can't be tripped)
Feats Go
UnnoticedAPG, Improved Initiative, Iron Will
Skills Appraise –2
(+10 when evaluating gems), Climb +11, Perception +6, Stealth +19; Racial Modifiers +12 Appraise when
evaluating gems
ECOLOGY
Environment any
temperate or warm land
Organization
solitary, pair, or vault (3–12)
Treasure standard
(intact jewel caterpillar corpse)
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Consume Gem (Ex) As
a full round action, a jewel caterpillar can destroy a gem it touches. When it
does so, it heals an amount of hit points equal to 1/10 the gem’s gp value. A
magic gem receives a Reflex save (DC 15) to avoid destruction. The save DC is
Constitution-based.
Energy Ray (Ex) A
jewel caterpillar can fire an energy ray that deals 3d6 points of damage of a
chosen energy type (acid, cold, electricity, or fire). Once it fires an energy ray,
it must wait 1 round before it can fire another energy ray. During this delay,
it changes color to match the type of energy damage it will deal on its next
attack (acid—green, cold—blue, electricity—yellow, fire—red). The ray has a
40-foot range increment.
Fade Out (Ex) As a
swift action, a jewel caterpillar can make itself translucent or return to its
fully visible state. This grants it partial concealment (20% miss chance) and a
+8 racial bonus on Stealth checks. While translucent, the caterpillar cannot
use its energy ray.
Gem Sense (Su) A
jewel caterpillar can sense the presence of gems within 60 feet as if using the
scent ability.
Jewel Caterpillar
Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save
Fort DC 15; frequency 1/round
for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Dex, and a
creature reduced to 0 Dex while poisoned transforms into a gem statue (worth
1,000 gp per creature’s total HD), as if affected by flesh to stone; cure 2
saves.
Spines (Ex) Any
creature attacking a jewel caterpillar with natural weapons or an unarmed
strike takes 1d2 points of piercing damage and is subject to the caterpillar’s poison.
A creature that grapples a jewel caterpillar takes 1d4 points of piercing
damage each round it does so.
--------------------
This carpet of
gem-like caterpillars glows with undulating patches of blue, green, red and
yellow.
Jewel Caterpillar
Swarm CR 8
XP 4,800
N Diminutive magical beast (swarm)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., gem sense 90
ft., low-light vision, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +11
DEFENSE
AC 22, touch 18,
flat-footed 18 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural, +4 size)
hp 85 (10d10+30)
Fort +10, Ref +10, Will +5
Defensive Abilities
swarm traits; Immune electricity,
fire; Resist acid 10
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft.,
climb 10 ft.
Melee swarm (2d6
plus distraction and poison)
Ranged 4 energy
rays +18 touch (3d6 acid, cold, electricity, or fire [see below])
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks
consume gem, distraction (DC 18), poison, spines
ECOLOGY
Environment any
temperate or warm land
Organization
solitary, pair, or vault (3–8)
Treasure double (intact
jewel caterpillar corpses)
STATISTICS
Str 1, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 4, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +10; CMB —; CMD —
Feats Dodge,
Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mobility, Weapon Focus (energy ray)
Skills Appraise –2
(+10 when evaluating gems), Climb +11, Perception +11, Stealth +19; Racial Modifiers +12 Appraise when
evaluating gems
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Consume Gems (Ex)
If a caterpillar swarm begins its turn sharing a space with one or more gems or
creatures carrying gems, it can destroy a gem in each square it occupies as a
move action. Doing so heals the swarm an amount of hit points equal to 1/10 the
gem's gp value. Magic gems or gems in a creature’s possession receive a Reflex
save (DC 18) to avoid destruction. The save DC is Constitution-based.
Energy Ray (Ex) Each
round, a jewel caterpillar swarm can fire one ray of each energy type (acid,
cold, electricity, and fire). It does not incur an attack of opportunity when
using its energy rays, and it can attack with its energy rays even while
moving. Each ray has a 40-foot range increment.
Gem Sense (Su) A
jewel caterpillar swarm can sense the presence of gems within 90 feet as if
using the scent ability.
Jewel Caterpillar
Poison (Ex) Swarm—injury; save
Fort DC 18; frequency 1/round
for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Dex, and a
creature reduced to 0 Dex while poisoned transforms into a gem statue (worth
1,000 gp per creature’s total HD), as if affected by flesh to stone; cure 2
saves.
Spines (Ex) Any
creature attacking a jewel caterpillar with natural weapons or an unarmed
strike takes 1d6 points of piercing damage and is subject to the caterpillar’s poison.
Jewel caterpillars are descendants of ancient earth
elemental vermin driven from the Plane of Earth because of the creatures’
voracious appetites for minerals. The surviving caterpillars became less
ravenous as the available resources dwindled in their new homes. However, they gained
a discerning palette for precious gems, while becoming much more cunning to
allow them to obtain their favorite foods. Individual caterpillars take
advantage of their ability to sense gems, minute size, and translucence to sneak
into backpacks and other containers and devour gems they find there. When
confronted with multiple choices, they use an innate ability to appraise the
worth of the gems, so they can consume the most expensive gems and sneak away
after sating themselves. In cases where gems are scarce, jewel caterpillars
rely on their poison to transform victims into gemstone, and they then subsist
on the transmuted substance. Gemstone “constructions” of partial animals and
other creatures mark the presence of active jewel caterpillar lair.
A creature with the earth and elemental subtypes, the
Improved Familiar feat, and at least 7 levels in a spellcasting class can take
a jewel caterpillar as a familiar.
Preserving Jewel
Caterpillar Corpses
A character can harvest a jewel caterpillar corpse that did not
die from massive damage or was not reduced to twice its Constitution score
below 0. By succeeding on a DC 20 Craft (jewelry) check, a character preserves
the jewel caterpillar corpse such that it provides gp appropriate for the
caterpillar’s CR. Failing this check by less than 5 garners a reward equal to
half the gp value, while a failure by 5 or more renders the corpse worthless.
For a jewel caterpillar swarm, the DC of the Craft (jewelry) check increases by
5, but the reward for success (or a failure by less than 5) doubles.
