Frightful Fridays! has a Patreon

Hello Frightful Fridays! readers. I've jumped into the Patreon pool to support my monster creations. I appreciate any and all pledges, which will help me stay on a more consistent schedule. After all, I can't skip six weeks when I've got people paying for monsters. I can promise I will withhold none of the monsters I work on for patrons. There is a reward level that puts monsters on hold for two months, but those monsters will make their way to the blog for all to enjoy. I respect my readers and my friend who allowed me to virtually take over his blog, and I don't want to put up a paywall for content.

In short, free monsters will continue to appear on the blog, and the Patreon is mostly a tip jar and an incentive to continue to produce monsters in a more timely manner. I hope you'll consider a pledge or passing the word along. Thanks!

https://www.patreon.com/FrightfulFridays

Frightful Fridays! (Thanksgiving Week Spectacular) Pyton

Hello and welcome back for the final Thanksgiving week monster! I hope those of you who celebrated had a good holiday and Black Friday is treating you OK, whichever side of the counter you happen to be on. The overstuffed feeling from Thanksgiving is both a pleasant and painful feeling, so today's monster plays on that theme, coinciding with the kytons' MO. The original plan was to have a weird pie-throwing monster that causes its victims to explode after eating the pie. It wandered from goofy to creepy as I continued to work on its design. I hope you like the result.

Thanks for reading all week! I'll have an announcement later today, after you've had time to "digest" this monster. Also, please don't forget to enter a monster for this year's Here Be Monsters contest. We've received some great entries, but we definitely have room for more! http://aswordforhire.blogspot.fi/2016/11/here-be-monsters-3-from-beyond-stars.html

Chains covered in eerily enticing pastries and pies cover the bulk of this corpulent humanoid, but its flesh oozes through the chain links. A pleasant smell, tinged with a hint of rot, wafts from the creature.

Pyton      CR 4

XP 1,200

LE Medium outsider (evil, extraplanar, kyton, lawful)

Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +12

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (–1 Dex, +8 natural)

hp 45 (6d10+12); regeneration 2 (good weapons and spells)

Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +5

Defensive Abilities sweet flesh; DR 5/good or silver; Immune cold; Resist fire 10

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft.

Melee spiked chain +9/+4 (2d4+4), bite +4 (1d6+4 plus grab)

Special Attacks overfeed, unnerving gaze (30 ft., DC 15)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +14)

   At will—putrefy food and drink^APG (DC 13)

   3/day—feast of ashes^APG (DC 15)

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 8, Con 14, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 15

Base Atk +6; CMB +9 (+13 grapple); CMD 18

Feats Endurance, Power Attack, Spell Focus (transmutation)

Skills Craft (alchemy) +11, Diplomacy +11, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (planes) +11, Perception +12, Profession (cook) +12, Sense Motive +12, Sleight of Hand +8

Languages Common, Infernal

ECOLOGY

Environment any (Plane of Shadow)

Organization solitary, pair, buffet (3–8)

Treasure standard (gourmet food, culinary recipes, etc.)

SPECIAL ABILTIES

Feats of Ashes (Sp) A creature that eats flesh from the pyton staves off the starvation effect from the pyton’s feast of ashes for 1 day.

Overfeed (Ex) A pyton can feed its flesh or food on hand to a helpless creature or one it has pinned. The victim must succeed at a DC 15 Fortitude save or become painfully full. On the first failed save, the victim becomes sickened for 1d4 rounds. On the second failed save, the victim becomes nauseated for 1d6 rounds and then sickened for 1d4 hours. On the third failed save, the victim becomes paralyzed for 1d8 rounds, nauseated for 1d6 minutes, and then sickened for 2d6 hours. On the fourth failed save, the victim dies. If all conditions have expired for the victim, it acts as if it had failed one fewer saving throw; after 24 hours, the number of saves resets completely. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Sweet Flesh (Su) A creature that successfully bites a pyton (or is fed via its overfeed special ability) must succeed at a DC 15 Will save or continue to make bite attacks against the pyton. A creature with bite attacks that count as silver or good does not suppress a pyton’s regeneration. This is a mind-affecting, compulsion effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Unnerving Gaze (Ex) A creature that succumbs to a pyton’s unnerving gaze becomes sickened for 1d6 rounds as it imagines itself eating flesh from the pyton and from its companions. This is a mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Pytons are gourmands among kytons, sampling flesh from a variety of creatures and spreading the pleasure and pain of gluttony to others. They also enjoy the exquisite pain caused by others feasting on their bodies. Pytons insinuate themselves among their prey, offering delicious meals tainted with their flesh and with judicious use of feast of ashes. They then welcome creatures hungry for more, binding their dinner guests in chains and feeding them until their bodies burst through the chains, killing them. Pytons bring victims to the threshold of death by overfilling their bodies with high-quality food and then allow their stomachs to settle for a couple of hours before repeating the process.

Frightful Fridays! (Thanksgiving Week Spectacular) Murducken

Hello, and welcome back to this week's mini monster marathon. Today's monster is in celebration of that most atrocious of creations, the turducken, but this one is undead and can explode into its components to wreak further havoc.

I hope you enjoy the murducken. I'll wrap things up tomorrow with an actual Friday monster. Happy Thanksgiving! I am truly thankful for my readers.

Oddly, I couldn't find the exact image I wanted, but this will do nicely.

This denuded turkey oozes rotting flesh. Its herky-jerky movements belie its speed and adroitness.

Murducken      CR 5

XP 1,600

NE Small undead

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +5

DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)

hp 52 (7d8+21)

Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +6

DR 5/good or piercing; Immune fire, undead traits; Resist electricity 10

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 20 ft. (clumsy)

Melee 2 slams +10 (1d6+3 plus ghoul fever and grab)

Special Attacks bursting split

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +10)

   1/day—grease (centered on murducken only)

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 19, Con —, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 16

Base Atk +5; CMB +7 (+11 grapple); CMD 21

Feats Improved Initiative, Outflank^APG, Precise Strike^APG, Weapon Focus (slam)

Skills Acrobatics +10, Disguise +7, Escape Artist +14, Fly +2, Perception +5; Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics, +8 Escape Artist

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary, pair, or feast of death (3–6)

Treasure incidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bursting Split (Ex) Once per day as a standard action, a murducken can burst into its necromantic poultry components with an attendant spray of gore and bones. All creatures within 20 feet of the murducken must attempt a DC 16 Reflex save. On a failed save, a victim takes 4d6 points of piercing and slashing damage, is nauseated for 1d4 rounds (and sickened for an additional 1d6 minutes afterwards), and subject to the murducken’s ghoul fever. On a successful save, a victim takes half damage and is sickened for 1d6 rounds.

   This ability replaces the murducken with three component creatures. A component creature is the same as the base murducken but has half its hit points and takes a –2 penalty on attack and damage rolls, saving throws, ability checks, and skill checks.

Disease (Su) Ghoul Fever: Slam—injury; save DC 16; onset 1 day; frequency 1/day; effect 1d4 Con and 1d4 Dex damage; cure 2 consecutive saves. The save DC is Charisma-based. A humanoid who dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghoul at the next midnight, while a humanoid of 4 Hit Dice or more rises as a ghast. An animal or magical beast with 4 or more Hit Dice rises as a murducken. A creature who returns as an undead creature in this way is independent of other undead creatures and retains none of the abilities it possessed in life.

Grease (Sp) A murducken is immune to its own grease spell-like ability and can move through greased squares without penalty. This immunity does not apply to other castings of grease.

Terrifying abominations created from terrifying abominations, murduckens are ghastly creations seeking to spread disease and directly destroy the living. The duplicitous creatures look like ordinary turkeys filled with duck and chicken meat, but their lack of intellect and impatience usually lead to them blowing their disguise before they can fool potential victims. In ghoul enclaves, murduckens are created and hunted as part of a horrifying unholy day, where powerful murduckens usually lay waste to dozens of ghouls before being wrestled down and devoured.

Murducken Creation

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Lay the boned chicken skin-side down on a platter and season liberally with salt, pepper, Creole seasoning, and pureed ghoul flesh. Lay the boned duck skin-side down on top of the chicken and season liberally with salt, pepper, Creole seasoning, and pureed ghoul flesh. Cover and refrigerate.
2. Lay the boned turkey skin-side down on a flat surface. Cover with a layer of cold Flesh and Oyster Dressing and push the dressing into the leg and wing cavities so they will look as if they still have bones in them.
3. Lay the duck on top of the turkey skin-side down and cover it with a layer of unnaturally cold dressing. Lay the chicken on top of the duck skin-side down and cover it with a layer of unnaturally cold dressing.
4. With the help of an assistant, bring the edges of the turkey skin up and fasten them together with toothpicks. Add the bones back to the unholy mass of flesh. Use kitchen string to lace around the toothpicks to help hold the stuffed turkey together. Carefully place the murducken, breast up in a large roasting pan.
5. Roast covered for 4 hours or until the murducken is golden brown. Continue to roast uncovered for 1 hour or until a meat thermometer inserted through the thigh registers 180 degrees F. and a thermometer inserted through the stuffing registers 165 degrees F. Check the murducken every few hours to baste and remove excess liquid. There will be enough pan juices for a gallon of gravy.
6. Cast animate dead and enjoy!

(Base recipe courtesy of http://allrecipes.com/recipe/13874/turducken/)

Frightful Fridays! (Thanksgiving Week Spectacular) Culinary Kaida

Hello, and welcome back to this week-long monster jamboree. My mind turns toward food as I approach the Thanksgiving holiday in America, and I also realized it had been quite a while since the previous kaida on this blog. So, the two ideas came together in the culinary kaida, guardian (and consumer) of food. Given its voracious appetite, this dragon might be of use against tomorrow's monster.

I hope you enjoy the culinary kaida, and I'll see you tomorrow with a scary Thanksgiving-themed creature. Thanks for reading!

Oh yeah! I don't think I've nagged you enough about the Here Be Monsters Contest. Enter today!!! (or at least by the deadline)

http://aswordforhire.blogspot.fi/2016/11/here-be-monsters-3-from-beyond-stars.html

I couldn't find a rotund dragon with a chef's hat, but this one was irresistible

This portly, aquamarine dragon breathes out smoke smelling of exotic spices.

Culinary Kaida      CR 2

XP 600

LN Tiny dragon

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +6

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 14, flat-footed 12 (+2 Dex, +2 size)

hp 22 (3d12+3)

Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +3

Immune disease, ingested poison, paralysis, sleep

OFFENSE

Speed 10 ft., fly 50 ft. (average)

Melee bite +7 (1d3–4 plus dehydration), 2 claws +7 (1d2–4 plus starvation)

Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks breath weapon (30-ft. cone, blindness and sickness, Reflex DC 12 partial, usable every 1d4 rounds)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 11th; concentration +14)

   At will—detect poison, prestidigitation, purify food and drink (DC 13)

   3/day—create food and water

   1/week—heroes' feast

STATISTICS

Str 2, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 10, Cha 16

Base Atk +3; CMB +3; CMD 9 (13 vs. trip)

Feats Endurance, Weapon Finesse

Skills Appraise +7, Craft (alchemy) +7, Diplomacy +9, Fly +10, Intimidate +3 (+11 in kitchens), Perception +6, Profession (cook) +11, Sense Motive +6, Spellcraft +6; Racial Modifiers +8 Intimidate (in kitchens), +8 Profession (cook)

Languages Common, Draconic

SQ this is my kitchen

ECOLOGY

Environment any urban

Organization solitary or pair

Treasure standard

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Breath Weapon (Su) Creatures failing the Reflex save against a culinary kaida’s breath weapon are blinded for 1 round and sickened for 1d6 minutes. Creatures that succeed at the Reflex save are not blinded and only sickened for 1d6 rounds.

Dehydration (Su) If a culinary kaida successfully bites an opponent, the victim must succeed at a DC 12 Fortitude save or become dehydrated. On the first failure, the creature is treated as if it had gone 24 hours without water. On each successive failure, the creature is treated as if it went an additional 4 hours without water. Once the cumulative hours exceed its Constitution score, it must make a Constitution check (DC equal to 10 + the number of hours beyond its Constitution score) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage as per the thirst rules. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Starvation (Su) If a culinary kaida strikes an opponent with a claw, the victim must succeed at a DC 12 Fortitude save or starve. On each failure, the creature is treated as if it had gone 1 day without food. If the cumulative days (including any from actual starvation) exceed 3 days, the creature must make a Constitution check (DC equal to 10 + the number of days beyond 3) or take 1d6 points of nonlethal damage as per the starvation rules. The save DC is Constitution-based.

This Is My Kitchen (Su) When a culinary kaida is in a kitchen or other setting where cooking primarily occurs, it gains a +8 bonus on Intimidate checks. Additionally, it does not suffer a penalty from being a smaller size than its target in such settings.

Culinary kaidas preserve the edibility of food and water, ensuring others cannot become ill from eating food and drinking liquids they oversee. When they have the time and inclination, they also prepare elegant meals, rivaling those created by renowned chefs. A typical culinary kaida is 2 feet long from snout to tail, has a 3-foot wingspan, and weighs 20 pounds (thanks to their healthy appetites).

Thanks to their expertise with food and drink, culinary kaidas often end up in kitchens and other food preparation locales, where they quite often take charge. Many kaidas are authoritarian figures in the kitchens they supervise and berate those who fail to maintain the high standards set by the dragons. In kitchens where culinary kaidas have less experience than the head chefs, the dragons often argue about cooking and preparation with their superiors. A rarer path for the kaidas takes them to royal palaces where they act as food tasters, using their detect poison spell-like ability to protect nobility. These opportunities remove them from food preparation but allow them to enjoy exquisite dishes; they still can’t resist occasional visits to kitchens to “improve” the quality of food made there.

In combat, culinary kaidas prefer to incapacitate foes, usually by starving or dehydrating them. Once they have subdued their opponents, they create food and water to restore them to health. The kaidas also use their breath weapons—filled with strong spices that induce blindness and nausea in creatures exposed to the breath weapon—to debilitate their foes.

A 7th-level lawful or true neutral spellcaster with the Improved Familiar feat and at least 3 ranks in Profession (cook) can select a culinary kaida as a familiar. Provided the creature remains well-fed, it happily travels with the spellcaster.

Frightful Fridays! (Thanksgiving Week Spectacular) Inferno Treant

Hello, and welcome back to this Thanksgiving week of monsters. Keeping with the nature theme and jumping on a nicely coincidental fall theme, and thanks to a suggestion from my daughter, the inferno treant displays all the colors of autumn but in a destructive manner. I really like the image of a continually burning tree flanked by fire elementals also shaped like trees laying waste to a nearby village--unless some adventurers can stop the onslaught.

I hope you like the inferno treant, and I'll be back tomorrow with another monster. Thanks very much for reading!

***ALSO: You still have until Saturday to enter your monster in the latest Here Be Monsters contest! http://aswordforhire.blogspot.fi/2016/11/here-be-monsters-3-from-beyond-stars.html

The lightning makes it more ominous.

Every inch of this massive tree is on fire, giving it a distinctive yellow, orange, and red glow.

Inferno Treant      CR 6

XP 2,400

CN Huge plant

Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 16 (+2 Dex, +8 natural, –2 size)

hp 76 (9d8+36)

Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +6

Immune fire, plant traits

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft.

Melee 2 slams +12 (1d8+7 plus 1d6 fire and burn)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

Special Attacks burn (1d6, DC 18)

STATISTICS

Str 25, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 8, Wis 17, Cha 14

Base Atk +6; CMB +15 (+17 sunder); CMD 27 (29 vs. sunder, can't be tripped)

Feats Dazzling Display, Improved Sunder, Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (slam)

Skills Intimidate +15, Perception +9

Languages Common, Ignan, Treant

SQ burning trees, double damage against objects

Environment any forest

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

Treasure incidental (fireproof gems, jewels, and magic items)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Burning Trees (Sp) An inferno treant can convert up to two trees within 120 feet into medium fire elementals. The trees require 1 full round to become fire elementals, after which they can act as normal. While an inferno treant can create as many fire elementals as it wishes, it can only control two at a time. If the treant moves out of range or is destroyed, the fire elementals it created collapse into a pile of ash.

Double Damage Against Objects (Ex) An inferno treant that makes a full attack against an object or structure deals double damage.

Inferno treants do not seek to protect the forests from which they derive. Instead, they carry out vengeance for destruction caused to their forest homes, typically through the careless use of fire by intelligent creatures. The treants gather a force of fire elementals from trees surviving a wildfire and track the responsible parties to their source, where the treants and elementals can lay waste to the community and ostensibly prevent future thoughtless destruction. Typical treants find inferno treants abhorrent and just as destructive as (if not more) the creatures liable for the accidental creation of the fiery treants. Treants normally aid in destroying inferno treants to preserve what they can, but, if their wrath has been provoked, they are content to let their conflagrative relatives wreak destruction.

Dead inferno treants often leave an acorn or another similar nut that looks like a large ember. Destructive druids procure these nuts to cultivate groves of inferno treants, which appear to be normal trees (or merely animated trees) until someone applies fire to them. These objects are worth 500 gp to interested parties and require a DC 21 Knowledge (nature) check to recognize their value.

Frightful Fridays! (Thanksgiving Week Spectacular) Primal Unicorn

Hello and welcome to a special edition of Frightful Fridays! Each day this week, I'll be posting a monster, including a fun Thanksgiving critter. I'm thankful for all my readers, and I want to make up for some missing weeks, so I'm creating this small run. I hope you enjoy them, starting with the primal unicorn. I've seen plenty of antithetical unicorns (all evil and negative and such), and I've worked on my share, but I wanted to do something close to nature. Luckily, friends posted the below image, and it re-triggered that desire.

I hope you like the primal unicorn, and I'll see you tomorrow with another monster. Thanks for reading!

ALSO: You still have a few days to enter your monster in the latest Here Be Monsters contest! http://aswordforhire.blogspot.fi/2016/11/here-be-monsters-3-from-beyond-stars.html

We're in charge, today.

This rhinoceros, covered in greenish wool, sports a massive horn.

Primal Unicorn      CR 4

XP 1,200

N Large magical beast

Init +0; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 9, flat-footed 17 (+8 natural, –1 size)

hp 42 (5d10+15)

Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +6

DR 5/piercing or wood

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft.

Melee gore +9 (2d6+7)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks blood rage, powerful charge (4d6+14), striding charge, trample (2d6+10, DC 17)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +13)

   At will—create food and water

   3/day—animal growth (DC 19), entangle (DC 15)

   1/day—remove disease, summon nature's ally IV, tree stride

STATISTICS

Str 21, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 20, Cha 19

Base Atk +5; CMB +11 (+13 bull rush); CMD 21 (23 vs. bull rush, 25 vs. trip)

Feats Improved Bull Rush, Intimidating Prowess, Power Attack

Skills Knowledge (nature) +9, Intimidate +9, Perception +11, Stealth –4 (+4 in forests), Survival +11; Racial Modifiers +4 Knowledge (nature), +8 Stealth in forests, +4 Survival

Languages Sylvan (can't speak)

SQ wild empathy +13, woodland stride

ECOLOGY

Environment any forest

Organization solitary, pair, crash (3–6)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Animal Growth (Sp) Once per day, a primal unicorn can quicken its animal growth spell-like ability as per the Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat, but only when it uses animal growth on itself.

Blood Rage (Ex) A primal unicorn can attempt a DC 16 Will save at the beginning of its turn to voluntarily end its rage. The save DC is Constitution-based (and based on the rage’s increased Constitution).

Striding Charge (Su) Once per day, a primal unicorn with its tree stride spell-like ability active can charge from a tree to which it transports as part of its full-round action.

Wild Empathy (Su) This ability works like the druid’s wild empathy class feature. A primal unicorn has a +4 racial bonus on wild empathy checks, and a primal unicorn with class levels granting wild empathy adds its racial modifier to wild empathy checks.

Woodland Stride (Ex) This works like the druid’s woodland stride ability. Additionally, a primal unicorn’s charge is not hindered by trees, and it does not harm trees when it charges.

Primal unicorns are more physically imposing specimens compared to typical unicorns. Rather than an equine form, primal unicorns take a rhinoceros shape. They weigh 2,500 pounds, stand 4 feet tall, and are 7 feet long.

Primal unicorns are in tune with their forest homes and protect all creatures who live there, animal, fey, and humanoid alike. Regardless of a creature’s alignment, primal unicorns give them equal protection, provided the creature respects other forest residents, and, most importantly, the forest itself. Primal unicorns react violently to outside destruction caused to their forests and usually lead a charge of animals to repel despoilers. Other than chasing egregious destroyers, primal unicorns rarely leave their homes. Because of their insular dispositions, primal unicorns have faded from public conscience as more proactive creatures such as unicorns and many “anti-unicorn” variants take the stage.

Foes who mistake the primal unicorns’ rhino-like appearance for slow, lumbering attacks meet unpleasant surprises when the unicorns charge at incredible speeds, nimbly dodging trees as they run. Primal unicorns often use their tree stride spell-like ability in the morning to give themselves an extra advantage for most of day, allowing them to maneuver other trees to get better charge lanes.

A new monster contest!

Here Be Monsters is holding another contest, this time featuring monsters from outer space! It's the same crew as last year (Jacob W. Michaels, Mikko Kallio, and myself judging, with monster maven Adam Daigle as the guest judge), and this year's angle promises to be a lot of fun.

Please consider entering. I look forward to seeing your monsters from beyond the stars!

http://aswordforhire.blogspot.fi/2016/11/here-be-monsters-3-from-beyond-stars.html

Frightful Fridays! Flabberghast

Hello, and welcome back to a new edition of Frightful Fridays! (slightly delayed) This week's monster goes against my normal appreciation for gnomes and fey by bringing out an undead monstrosity focused on fey (and gnomes thanks to their bloodline). It's still a potentially nasty monster against other characters, too.

I hope you enjoy the flabberghast, and I'll be back later with another monster. Thanks for reading!

This neat monster illustration can be found here

This skeletal creature’s bones fade into a set of withered brambles where its legs should be. It has alternatively bony and branch-like horns protruding form its skull.

Flabberghast    CR 6
XP 2,400
CE Medium undead
Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +15
Aura aura of despair (10 ft., DC 17)

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 14, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +4 natural)
hp 67 (9d8+27)
Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +9
Defensive Abilities evasion; DR 5/cold iron; Immune undead traits; Resist cold 20, electricity 10; SR 17
Weaknesses compulsion vulnerability

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (good)
Melee 2 claws +11 (1d6+2 plus 1d6 Cha damage), gore +10 (1d8+2)
Special Attacks broken beauty, create spawn, feybane, rend (2 claws, 1d6+3)
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +12)
   3/day—dancing lights, faerie fire
   1/day—confusion (DC 16), deep slumber (DC 16), entangle (DC 14), glitterdust (DC 15), major image (DC 16)

STATISTICS

Str 14, Dex 19, Con —, Int 17, Wis 16, Cha 17
Base Atk +6; CMB +8; CMD 22
Feats Combat Casting, Lightning Reflexes, Vital Strike, Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (claw)
Skills Bluff +12, Fly +12, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (arcana) +11, Knowledge (nature) +12, Perception +15, Sense Motive +15, Spellcraft +11, Stealth +14
Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary, pair, reprisal (3–6)

Treasure standard

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Aura of Despair (Su) Any creature within or entering a flabberghast’s aura must succeed on a DC 17 Will save or take a –2 penalty on attack rolls, saving throws, ability and skill checks, and weapon damage for as long as it remains within the aura. A creature that successfully saves is immune to the same flabberghast’s aura for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

   Additionally, a flabberghast suppresses spells and effects granting morale bonuses within its aura, but it does not dispel them.

Broken Beauty (Su) If a flabberghast confirms a critical hit with its claws, in addition to inflicting 1d6 points of Charisma damage, it deals 1d2 points of Charisma drain (DC 17 Will save negates). If the flabberghast successfully drains Charisma, it gains a temporary +1 enhancement bonus to all Charisma-based skill checks, and save DCs for its spells and abilities. These bonuses stack with each other and last for 1 hour. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Compulsion Vulnerability (Su) A flabberghast generally enjoys an undead creature’s immunity to mind-affecting effects, but it still falls prey to the seemingly bizarre rules governing fey. It must attempt a Will save against a spell or effect with the compulsion descriptor, and it incurs a –4 penalty on such saves.
Create Spawn (Su) If the flabberghast kills a gnome or a fey creature, either through damage or by reducing the creature to 0 Charisma, the creature returns as a flabberghast one hour later. Other creatures killed by a flabberghast rise as ghasts.
Feybane (Su) Once per day as a swift action, a flabberghast can imbue its gore attack with the bane (fey creatures and gnomes) weapon ability for 1 minute.

Fey are no strangers to undeath and several of their number fall prey to vampires, spectres, and other foul creatures. However, flabberghasts are undead unique to fey. Typically resulting from fey creatures brought low by the backstabbing machinations omnipresent in faerie courts, flabberghasts return to a twisted form of unlife, embittered against all other fey. This hatred also applies to humanoids with fey origins such as gnomes. Flabberghasts prefer targeting the objects of their ire over other creatures but are not so overwhelmed by rage to ignore obvious threats. Ultimately, the creatures wish to diminish all beauty in the world and often stop just short of killing foes to force them to suffer (at least temporarily) with disfigurations.

Despite, or perhaps because of, their antipathy toward fey, flabberghasts ally with unseelie fey to destroy their opponents. Only powerful nobles deal with flabberghasts, because the creatures almost invariably seek to betray their allies, usually after bolstering their numbers.

Frightful Fridays! Stubby Squid

Hello, and welcome to a beeelated Frightful Fridays! Life got extremely busy, and I missed working on new critters for the blog. But this little squid spoke to me, and I was compelled to return this week to put it out there.

I hope you enjoy the stubby squid, and I shall be back sooner than two month's time with another monster. Thanks for reading!

Read about this cutie over here

This miniature purple squid has large, expressive eyes. It waves its tentacles seemingly in greeting.

Stubby Squid    CR 4
XP 1,200
CN Diminutive aberration (aquatic)
Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 17, flat-footed 16 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +4 size)
hp 42 (5d8+20); fast healing 2
Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +7
Defensive Abilities amorphous; Resist acid 10; SR 16

OFFENSE

Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.
Melee 4 tentacles +10 (1d4–4 plus attach)
Space 1 ft.; Reach 0 ft.
Special Attacks attach, dehydrate, mind swap
Spell-Like Abilities (CL 5th; concentration +8)
   3/day—water breathing (other creatures only)

STATISTICS

Str 3, Dex 16, Con 18, Int 13, Wis 17, Cha 16
Base Atk +3; CMB +2 (+6 grapple); CMD 8 (16 vs. grapple and trip)
Feats Go Unnoticed^APG, Improved Initiative, Skill Focus (Bluff), Weapon Finesse^B
Skills Bluff +11, Escape Artist +11, Perception +11, Sense Motive +8, Stealth +20, Swim +17
Languages Aklo, Common
SQ amphibious, symbiosis

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate and warm oceans
Organization solitary, pair, or raft (3–12)
Treasure incidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Attach (Ex) The suckers on a stubby squid’s tentacles latch onto a target with surprising tenacity. The squid gains a +4 racial bonus on combat maneuver checks to maintain a grapple, and a +8 racial bonus to CMD against grapples.
Dehydrate (Ex) A stubby squid attached to a creature halves the amount of time (12 hours plus 1/2 Constitution score) the creature can go without water. Additionally, the DC for the Constitution check to avoid nonlethal damage from dehydration increases by +2 for each previous check.
Fast Healing (Ex) A stubby squid loses fast healing when it is out of salt water.
Mind Swap (Su) As a full-round action, a stubby squid can trade minds with a creature to which it is attached. This functions as magic jar, except the two minds trade bodies. An unwilling target can resist this ability with a DC 15 Will save. The mind swap lasts for 1d4 hours or when the squid ends the effect as a free action, whichever is sooner. If a creature saves against the effect, this particular stubby squid cannot attempt it again with the creature for 24 hours The save DC is Charisma-based.
Symbiosis (Ex) While a stubby squid is attached to a creature, the creature gains the spell resistance and acid resistance possessed by the squid. The creature cannot voluntarily lower the spell resistance. Likewise, the squid enjoys energy resistances and immunities possessed by the creature.

Stubby squids are not animals despite their outward appearance. Instead, they are intelligent lifeforms with alien minds. They indulge in their curiosity by attaching themselves to fast-moving oceanic creatures or obviously non-aquatic specimens. If they feel they have approached friendly creatures, they attempt to convince the creatures to carry them along. They otherwise just attach themselves to their targets and hope for the best. Regardless, they entice potential hosts with their conveyed protection from acid and spells, as well as the ability to breathe water (typical stubby squids can provide water breathing to a single creature for a full day). Squids with a positive symbiotic relationship inform their hosts of their need for water when they leave the sea and the potential for dehydration as they drain water from their hosts.

In aquatic environments, stubby squids work together peacefully. Outside their watery homes, they become extremely competitive over precious water resources. The squids are instinctively aware of other squids, even those hidden on a host’s body. The squids assert their intelligences over their hosts, sequestering their hosts’ minds away in their bodies, to engage in proxy battles. When their hosts die in these bizarre combats, the squids find the nearest available creatures to possess and continue their conflicts. Warring stubby squids wipe out settlements ill-equipped to handle them, typically with only one squid-hosting “survivor” remaining.

Frightful Fridays! Fog Golem

Hello, and welcome back to a new Frightful Fridays! After skipping a week for GenCon, I'm back with a foggy golem for you. It's a walking cloudkill, which should be a lot of fun for GMs, but not so much fun for characters.

I hope you enjoy the fog golem, and I'll be back next week with another monster. Thanks for reading!

This neat illustration can be found here

This creature’s dark grey humanoid shape barely stands out in the enormous fog bank billowing around it as it moves.

Fog Golem      CR 9

XP 6,400

N Huge construct

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., fog vision, low-light vision; Perception +10

Aura fog cloud (20 ft.)

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 17, flat-footed 8 (+8 Dex, +1 dodge, –2 size)

hp 118 (12d10+52); fast healing 5

Fort +4, Ref +12, Will +6

DR 10/adamantine and magic; Immune construct traits, critical hits, elemental composition, magic, sneak attacks

OFFENSE

Speed fly 30 ft. (perfect)

Melee 2 slams +18 (elemental strike)

Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft.

Special Attacks engulf (DC 18, elemental strike and cloudkill)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 12th; concentration +14)

   Constant—gaseous form

STATISTICS

Str 7, Dex 27, Con —, Int —, Wis 15, Cha 14

Base Atk +12; CMB +12; CMD 31 (can't be tripped)

Feats Dodge, Mobility, Toughness, Weapon Finesse

Skills Fly +12, Perception +10, Stealth +0 (+16 in fog); Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +16 Stealth in fog

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

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

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Elemental Composition (Ex) A fog golem can change its composition to a particular energy type as a move action. It can select acid, cold, electricity, or fire. It is immune to the chosen energy type. If the golem’s controller is not available to command it to change its composition, it changes to protect itself from the most recently used energy type to damage it. If it has not been damaged, it changes composition to bypass resistances or immunities enjoyed by its foes; in this case, it chooses acid, cold, electricity, and fire in order. The golem starts a typical encounter with an acid composition.

Elemental Strike (Ex) A fog golem’s slam attacks deals 2d6+12 points of damage based on the chosen energy type (acid, cold, electricity, fire) for its elemental composition.

Engulf (Ex) A fog golem deals its elemental strike damage to all targets it engulfs, and it subjects them to the effects of the cloudkill spell (DC 17 Fortitude partial). The save DC to avoid being engulfed includes a +4 racial bonus. The save DC for the cloudkill effect is Charisma-based.

Fog Cloud (Ex) Fog surrounds a fog golem as per the fog cloud spell. If the fog is dispersed, the golem regenerates it at the end of its next turn.

Fog Vision (Ex) A fog golem can see perfectly well in fog and clouds.

Immunity to Magic (Ex) A fog golem is immune to spells and spell-like abilities that allow spell resistance. Certain spells and effects function differently against it, as noted below.

• ·        A gust of wind spell (or any spell increasing wind speed that targets the fog golem) slows a fog golem (as per the slow spell) and suspends its fast healing for 1d4 rounds, with no saving throw.
• ·        A solid fog spell (or any spell replicating solid fog) targeting a fog golem slows it and negates its DR (magic, but not adamantine) and immunities to critical hits and sneak attacks for 1d6 rounds, with no saving throw. If the spell deals energy damage, the golem takes damage from the spell, unless its elemental composition ability grants it immunity.

Whereas a single elemental spirit animates most golems, a minimum of one elemental spirit for each of the four elements animate fog golems. Fog golems guard locations where their ability to pass through tiny spaces make them more valuable than other golems. While they are mindless, they are capable of adapting their energy signatures to effectively combat opponents reliant on or protected against specific energy types. Acid-imbued fog golems’ caustic fluid sizzles when it condenses, cold-imbued golems form stinging icy crystals, electricity-imbued golems crackle angrily, and fire-imbued golems release ash and smoke rather than fog.

CONSTRUCTION

A fog golem’s body consists of specially treated gases infused with all four elements. The gases must be treated with oils worth 2,000 gp.

FOG GOLEM

CL 9th; Price 62,000 gp

Construction

Requirements Craft Construct, cloudkill, gaseous form, geas/quest, limited wish, creator must be at least caster level 9th; Skill Craft (alchemy) or Knowledge (nature) DC 19; Cost 32,000 gp

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.

Frightful Fridays! Meatshield

Hello and welcome to a bonus edition of Frightful Fridays! I can't really claim it's a bonus, though, since I've been pretty slack with the monsters lately. This monster is courtesy of Paris, who jokingly suggested it as the next monster after the bloodbag. I took it as a challenge, and here we are with a mobile mound of meat that can turn people into more mobile meat mounds.

I hope you enjoy this "companion" to the bloodbag. I'll still be back on Friday with a new monster. Thanks for reading!

It's amazing how easy it is to find an image to match a monster

The odor of meat getting ready to turn bad wafts from this collection of scraps somehow held together in a loose sphere; limbs made of meat jut from the mass to propel the creature forward.

Meatshield      CR 5

XP 1,600

Meatshield

NE Medium construct

Init +0; Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +0

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 10, flat-footed 18 (+8 natural)

hp 58 (7d10+20)

Fort +2, Ref +2, Will +2

DR 5/—; Immune construct traits, magic

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 20 ft.

Melee 2 slams +10 (2d6+3)

Special Attacks create spawn, pulverize

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 11, Con —, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 5

Base Atk +7; CMB +10; CMD 20 (can't be tripped)

Skills Climb +11

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary, pair, or slaughterhouse (3–12)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Create Spawn (Su) A creature that dies from a meatshield’s red ache rises as a meatshield in 8 hours.

Immune to Magic (Ex) A meatshield is immune to any spell or spell-like ability that allows spell resistance. In addition, certain spells and effects function differently against the creature, as noted below.

• Purify food and drink heals 10 hit points and increases a meatshield’s movement rates by 10 feet. A meatshield no longer inflicts red ache with its attacks.
• Putrefy food and drink deals 10 hit points of damage to a meatshield and reduces its movement rates by 10 feet. All of its attacks inflict red ache.

Pulverize (Ex) If a meatshield hits the same target with both of its slam attacks, it deals an additional 1d4 Strength damage and afflicts its victim with red ache.

Red Ache Pulverize—injury; save Fort DC 15; onset 1d3 days; frequency 1/day; effect 1d6 Str damage; cure 2 consecutive saves.

On the opposite end of the spectrum from the bloodbag, but no less ill-advised, meatshields resulted when a nascent necromancer attempted to raise undead creatures from an assemblage of meat scraps. She was successful to an extent and became the newly formed creatures’ first victim. The meatshields roamed the neighboring lands, instinctively aware that they needed to inflict their procreative disease on victims rather than outright slaughtering them. Those who hear victims describe an attack by a living mound of meat attribute the outrageous tales to fever brought on by the disease. Of course, very few people understand how victims transform into piles of meat when they succumb to the disease, and most run screaming when the piles coalesce and lurch into action.

While meatshields are constructs with nominal undead traits of creating spawn and inflicting disease, the secrets of making the creatures died with the original creator. No one has openly dared to recreate the experiment. However, those who can control meatshields use them as shock troops or as protection (as their namesake would imply).