I hope you enjoy the dragonhead caterpillar. See you tomorrow with monster number 12!
This green caterpillar
has a head reminiscent of an adult true dragon’s head; a palpable wave of
arcane energy washes off the insect.
Dragonhead
Caterpillar CR 10
XP 9,600
N Tiny vermin
Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +0
DEFENSE
AC 24, touch 20,
flat-footed 16 (+8 Dex, +4 natural, +2 size)
hp 127 (15d8+60)
Fort +12, Ref +13, Will +5
Defensive Abilities
fluctuating energy immunity, improved evasion
OFFENSE
Speed 20 ft., fly
40 ft. (average)
Melee bite +13
(1d4 plus poison)
Space 2-1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks
breath weapon (30-ft. cone, 10d6 variable [see text], Reflex DC 20 for half,
usable every 1d4 rounds), poison
Spell-Like Abilities
(CL 15th; concentration +17)
At will—maximized magic missile
1/day—prismatic spray (DC 19)
STATISTICS
Str 11, Dex 27, Con 17, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 14
Base Atk +11; CMB +17; CMD 27 (can't be tripped)
Feats Toughness[B]
Skills Fly +12
SQ draconic
symbiosis
SPECIAL ABILITIES
Breath Weapon (Su)
A dragonhead caterpillar’s breath weapon deals energy damage of a random type
(d4: 1—acid, 2—cold, 3—electricity, 4—fire) each time it uses its breath
weapon. Regardless of the energy type used by the caterpillar, true dragons are
immune to its breath weapon.
Draconic Symbiosis (Su)
Despite its mindlessness, a dragonhead caterpillar obeys a true dragon’s
commands. In the case of conflicting commands from more than one dragon, the
dragons must attempt opposed Charisma checks; the dragon with the highest check
commands the caterpillar for 1 round.
Energy Defense
Suppression Poison (Su) Bite—injury; save
Fort DC 20; frequency 1/round for 6
rounds; effect 1d4 Con and 1d4 Dex; cure 2 consecutive saves. A creature
that takes ability damage from a dragonhead caterpillar’s poison also has its
energy immunities and resistances reduced, regardless of the source of those
immunities and resistances; a creature with immunity to energy instead has
resist 30, and resistances are reduced by 10 (to a minimum of 0). These
reductions last until ability damage inflicted by the poison is restored and
for 1 minute thereafter.
Fluctuating Energy
Immunity (Su) At the beginning of its turn, a dragonhead caterpillar gains immunity
to energy (acid, cold, electricity, fire, or sonic only) used in spells or effects
it was targeted by, or it was in the area of effect of, regardless of whether
it took damage from those spells or effects. If it was not subject to an attack
that dealt energy damage in the previous round, it defaults to an immunity to a
random energy type (d4: 1—acid, 2—cold, 3—electricity, 4—fire). A caterpillar
starts combat with immunity to the energy used by the dragon with which it is
associated (if there is no dragon, the immunity is random as above). The
immunities last until the beginning of its next turn.
Magic Missile (Sp)
A dragonhead caterpillar’s magic missile
spell-like ability is always maximized as if it benefitted from the Maximize
Spell metamagic feat.
Dragonhead caterpillars were parasitic creatures which fed
off draconic energy and weakened dragons they infested. Many dragons destroyed
the pesky caterpillars on sight, but some realized they could genetically
engineer the vermin to have them work symbiotically with dragons. Thus, parasitic
specimens are extremely rare, while the benign (to dragons) specimens thrive.
Many true dragons bleed magical energy when they aren’t using it to defend
their lairs, so dragonhead caterpillars feed on that and grow powerful in their
own right. Dragons use the caterpillars to defend their lairs and provide a
surprise counter to dragon hunters which stock up on defenses and attacks to
specifically counter the dragons. The caterpillars have a gland that allows them
to gain short-term energy immunity and randomizes the breath weapon they use.
Exposure to dragons has gifted dragonhead caterpillars with significant
arcane might. Unless otherwise commanded by dragons, the caterpillars start
combat with their breath weapon, followed by prismatic spray, and then magic
missiles until they can again use their breath weapon. Dragons often
command the caterpillars to physically attack opponents so the caterpillars’
poison can lower resistances to the dragons’ powerful breath weapons.
A typical dragonhead caterpillar measures 8 inches long and
weighs less than 10 pounds. The color of its head matches the color of the dragon
with which it shares a lair. If it doesn’t have a dragon host, the color of its
head matches the light green of its body.
Parasitic Dragonhead
Caterpillars
Parasitic dragonhead caterpillars are extremely rare and
cost 10,000 gp to purchase from those who cultivate them. These caterpillars have
the same statistics as typical dragonhead caterpillars, but they lose the
dragon symbiosis special quality and their breath weapons deal energy damage
based on an opposing dragon’s vulnerability (if any). Instead of its usual
effects, parasitic dragonhead caterpillar poison reduces a dragon’s breath
weapon damage (by 2 dice per failed save) and spell resistance (by 2 per failed
save) until the dragon restores damage done to its ability scores and 1 minute
thereafter, and dragons take a –4 penalty on saves against the parasitic
dragonhead caterpillar’s poison.
