Frightful Fridays! Lemon Leshy

Hello there, Frightful Friends! Today's monster was a request of one of my Patreon (https://www.patreon.com/FrightfulFridays) patrons, and it was an easy request to fulfill, since I enjoy working on new leshys. The lemon leshy isn't exactly unfriendly, but it will take the opportunity to blind PCs with lemon juice if they don't back off. It also throws some mean fruit (look at that damage--those are painfully hard lemons!)

I hope you enjoy the lemon leshy. See you next week with something else!

This plant person is thin up to its leafy bough, which droops under the weight of dozens of bright yellow fruit.

Lemon Leshy      CR 4

XP 1,200

N Small plant (leshy, shapechanger)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)

hp 42 (5d8+20)

Fort +8, Ref +3, Will +3

Immune electricity, plant traits, sonic

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 slams +7 (1d8+2)

Ranged lemon +6 (1d6+2)

Special Attacks lemon sting

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 10th; concentration +11)

   Constant—pass without trace

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 14, Con 19, Int 8, Wis 15, Cha 12

Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 16

Feats Combat Reflexes, Dazzling Display, Weapon Focus (slam)

Skills Intimidate +7, Perception +7, Stealth +6 (+10 in warm forests), Survival +3 (+7 in warm forests); Racial Modifiers +4 Intimidate, +4 Stealth and Survival in warm forests

Languages Druidic, Sylvan; plantspeech (citrus trees)

SQ change shape (Small lemon tree; tree shape), refreshment, verdant burst

ECOLOGY

Environment warm forests

Organization solitary or grove (2–12)

Treasure standard

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Lemon (Ex) A lemon leshy’s lemon has a range increment of 20 feet.

Lemon Sting (Ex) As a standard action, a lemon leshy can squirt lemon juice at a creature within 20 feet of it. On a successful touch attack, the target takes 1 point of damage and the leshy can apply one of two effects. The first effect causes the target to become blinded for 1d4 rounds; if it succeeds on a DC 16 Fortitude save, it is instead dazzled for 1 round. The second effect works only on a target that has sustained hit point damage, causing an applicable target to become nauseated for 1d4 rounds; if it succeeds on a DC 16 Fortitude save, it is instead sickened for 1 round. The save DCs are Constitution-based.

Refreshment (Ex) Once per week, a lemon leshy can prepare a special bunch of lemons from which it can produce a lemon drink that benefits up to 6 Small or Medium creatures. Each creature that drinks the concoction heals 1d6 hit points and gains the benefit of longstrider for 10 hours.

Lemon leshys take subtropical forests as their purview and protect the animals and plants thriving within. Ardent protectors of all life in their homes, the leshys intervene even when venomous insects, spiders, or animals attack outsiders that respond in kind. While they prefer to scare off intruders, they have the physical might to back up their threats. They enjoy pelting foes with the fruit growing in their boughs and adding a dash of discomfort to opponents that persist and come close to them. While they wouldn’t admit this, they take a perverse joy in blinding a victim or causing it to double over in pain as exposed eyes or wounds take a squirt of lemon juice.

Lemon leshys are as gentle with their charges as they are violent with trespassers that can’t take a hint. They prepare a batch of lemons into a surprisingly sweet brew which heals wounds and invigorates the drinker. In very rare cases, usually involving the trade of favors benefitting the lemon leshys or their forests, the leshys share this drink with outsiders.

Lemon leshys are 2–1/2 feet tall and weigh 70 pounds, most of which is concentrated among the lemons constituting the top of the leshys.

Growing a Lemon Leshy

Lemon leshys are grown in warm climates or during the heat of the summer months in temperate climates. To grow a lemon leshy, the maker plants a lemon, usually decorated with the semblance of a face to avoid the risk of the lehsy growing up blind and/or mute. The leshy’s disposition varies based on the grower’s disposition.

Lemon Leshy

CL 12th; Price 9,000 gp

RITUAL

Requirements Knowledge (nature) 5 ranks, longstrider, plant growth, summon nature’s ally IV; Skill Knowledge (nature) DC 18; Cost 4,500 gp

Frightful Fridays! Eggsemplar

Hey there! It's Friday, so it's time for another monster. Today's monster is a little goofier than usual (I know, the bar is already pretty low), but I think I managed to make it a viable opponent for low-level PCs. You can be the judge!

I hope you enjoy the eggsemplar, and I'll see you next Friday. Thanks for reading!

Eggsactly

A cracked armor-like shell surrounds this orange sphere etched with sketchy facial features.

Eggsemplar      CR 4

XP 1,200

LN Small monstrous humanoid

Init +2; Senses blindsight 60 ft., darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 13, flat-footed 15 (+2 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size)

hp 42 (5d10+15)

Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +7

Defensive Abilities fried by fire, shell up; Immune acid

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft.

Melee 2 claws +9 (1d6+3)

Special Attacks walk on egg shells, yolk's on you

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 11, Wis 16, Cha 12

Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 19

Feats Antagonize[UM], Great Fortitude, Power Attack

Skills Acrobatics +7, Intimidate +9, Perception +11, Profession (cook) +8

ECOLOGY

Environment any land

Organization solitary, pair, carton (3–12), omelite squad (13–30)

Treasure eggsidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Fried by Fire (Ex) An eggsemplar takes 50% more damage from fire, as if it had vulnerability to fire, but only from the first source of fire damage. Afterwards, it gains immunity to fire and a +2 natural armor bonus to AC. It reverts to its normal form in 24 hours.

Shell up (Ex) As a move action, an eggsemplar can close its shell armor around itself. It is effectively blinded when it does so and it loses its claw attacks and its yolk’s on you ability. In return, it gains a +2 natural armor bonus to AC, and it gains a slam attack which deals 2d4 points of damage (modified by 1–1/2 times its Strength modifier). It can open its shell armor as a move action, reverting to its typical statistics.

Walk on Egg Shells (Ex) As a standard action, an eggsemplar can shed some of its shell armor, reducing its natural armor bonus to AC by 2. When it uses this ability, all squares within 5 feet of it are treated as if covered by caltrops. The eggsemplar is unaffected by caltrops it creates with this ability.

Yolk's on You (Ex) This is similar to a breath weapon (15-ft. cone, 3d6 acid damage, Reflex DC 15 for half, usable every 1d4+ rounds), and creatures that fail their Reflex saves are covered in sticky, acidic residue. They become entangled and take an additional 1d6 points of acid damage at the beginning of the eggsemplar’s next turn. Removing the entangled condition requires an application of 1 gallon of alcohol.

Eggsemplars belong to a crack warrior caste among a species of otherwise shy and fragile ovoids. While they have considerable combat might, they refuse to take on a overlord role with their more peaceful cousins. To avoid the temptation, they spend much of their time travelling and working to protect the sanctity of their homelands from afar. They take their roles as warriors seriously and prefer combats which are not over easy. During their downtime, however, they like to crack each other up with jokes most outsiders would find unpalatable. When one of their number turns rotten, they reluctantly put the bad egg down and try to commemorate the excellent service provided by their fallen comrade.

Like the rest of their species, they worship a being they refer to as the Great Hen, and hope they prove themselves enough to ascend beyond the Great Wall, from which many notables have taken great falls. They are not theologians, so they refuse to consider questions about the origins of the Great Hen.

A typical eggsemplar stands just over 3 feet tall and weighs 50 pounds. They have 60 year lifespans, but their aggressive outlooks shorten this longevity.

Frightful Fridays! Inknull and Voxvoid

Hello and welcome back to another Frightful Fridays! Today's monsters are a tightly related pair. One steals physical words, while the other steals spoken words. Either one can cause havoc with PCs.

I hope you enjoy the inknull and voxvoid, and I'll see you next week with another monster. Thanks for reading!

Glyphs and whole passages made of ink surround this sphere which rapidly alternates between a vantablack solid and a white void.

Inknull      CR 11

XP 12,800

CN Small outsider (extraplanar)

Init +9; Senses darkvision 60 ft., inksense 120 ft.; Perception +21

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 25, flat-footed 19 (+8 deflection, +5 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size)

hp 147 (14d10+70)

Fort +14, Ref +14, Will +8

Defensive Abilities ink splash; Immune acid

OFFENSE

Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)

Melee slam +13 (1d6-2 plus 10d6 acid and wordeater)

Special Attacks word eater, writing imperative

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +17)

   At will—arcane mark, erase

STATISTICS

Str 6, Dex 21, Con 20, Int 21, Wis 18, Cha 17

Base Atk +14; CMB +18 (+22 dirty trick); CMD 35 (37 vs. dirty trick)

Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Greater Dirty Trick[APG], Improved Dirty Trick[APG], Improved Initiative

Skills Bluff +20, Diplomacy +20, Disguise +17, Escape Artist +19, Fly +20, Knowledge (arcana) +22, Knowledge (planes) +22, Linguistics +22, Perception +21, Spellcraft +22, Stealth +24, Use Magic Device +17

Languages any

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary, pair, or scriptorium (3–20)

Treasure standard (scrolls and other magical writings)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Ink Splash (Su) If a creature strikes an inknull with a melee weapon or natural attack, it takes 5d6 points of acid damage. Additionally, if the inknull has symbol points built up from its word eater ability, it can expend points to place a glyph or symbol on the creature. A success on a DC 22 Reflex save halves the damage and negates the glyph or symbol (the inknull still expends its symbol points to inscribe the lost symbol). The save DC is Constitution-based.

Inksense (Su) An inknull notices and locates any type of writing within 120 feet, as if it possessed the blindsight ability.

Word Eater (Su) As a standard action, an inknull can devour all writing within 30 feet of it. It can also use this ability on a target it successfully strikes with its slam attack. If the writing is magical or attended, it receives a DC 20 Will save to avoid this effect; otherwise, the inknull absorbs the writing. When it devours writing, it gains symbol points equal to 1 + the level of the highest-level spell associated with the writing (a scroll or spellbook provide the inknull with the highest-level spell inscribed, while a magical book would use the highest-level spell associated with its creation). Mundane writing grants the inknull 1 symbol point. The save DC is Charisma-based.

If a creature presents an item with writing within 30 feet of an inknull (for example, as a result of its writing imperative ability), it can expend one use of its Combat Reflexes feat to use this ability.

An inknull can expend symbol points equal to the spell level to cast any glyph, symbol, or any other spell that creates magical script or symbols. It does this as if it were using a spell-like ability as a standard action (regardless of the spell’s actual casting time). Its caster level is equal to its Hit Dice.

Writing Imperative (Su) As a standard action, an inknull can force all creatures that can see it and that fail a DC 20 Will save to spend their next turn retrieving a book, scroll, or other written material and presenting it to the inknull. An affected target must select a magic item or spellbook in preference to mundane items. If a creature does not have access to any written material, it instead spends its turn writing on an available surface. An affected creature can take no other actions during its turn. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

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Waves of sound pulsate from this invisible sphere, the core of which incongruously emanates a deafening silence.

Voxvoid      CR 14

XP 38,400

CN Small outsider (extraplanar, sonic)

Init +11; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +26

DEFENSE

AC 29, touch 29, flat-footed 21 (+10 deflection, +7 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 size)

hp 199 (19d10+95)

Fort +16, Ref +18, Will +10

Defensive Abilities destructive reverberation, natural invisibility, null sound nullifier; Immune sonic

OFFENSE

Speed fly 60 ft. (perfect)

Melee slam +18 (1d6-2 plus 13d6 sonic)

Special Attacks noise imperative, word eater

STATISTICS

Str 6, Dex 25, Con 20, Int 23, Wis 18, Cha 19

Base Atk +19; CMB +25 (+29 dirty trick); CMD 44 (46 vs. dirty trick)

Feats Agile Maneuvers, Combat Casting, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Greater Dirty Trick[APG], Improved Dirty Trick[APG], Improved Initiative, Magical Aptitude, Mobility

Skills Bluff +26, Diplomacy +26, Disable Device +26, Escape Artist +26, Fly +23, Intimidate +23, Knowledge (arcana) +28, Knowledge (planes) +28, Linguistics +28, Perception +26, Spellcraft +32, Stealth +30, Use Magic Device +27

Languages any

Special Qualities sound and fury

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary, pair, or silent cacophony (3–20)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Destructive Reverberation (Ex) If a voxvoid is struck by a melee weapon, the wielder must succeed on a DC 24 Reflex save or the weapon takes 13d6 points of sonic damage. If this destroys the weapon, the wielder takes 6d6 points of sonic damage. If a creature strikes a voxvoid with a natural weapon, the creature takes 13d6 points of sonic damage (DC 24 Reflex save for half damage). The save DCs are Constitution-based.

Noise Imperative (Su) As a standard action, a voxvoid can force all creatures that can hear it and that fail a DC 23 Will save to spend their next turn casting a spell with verbal components, beginning (or maintaining) a bardic performance, or otherwise speaking or making noise. An affected creature can take no other actions during its turn. This is a mind-affecting compulsion effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Null Sound Nullifier (Su) If a voxvoid starts its turn in an area of magical silence, it casts silent dispel magic, targeting the spell or effect creating the silence, as a free action. Its caster level equals its Hit Dice.

Sound and Fury (Su) A voxvoid will not voluntarily cease the sound it emanates. It gains no benefit to Stealth checks from its natural invisibility against creatures capable of hearing it. It still benefits from total concealment granted by its natural invisibility.

Word Eater (Su) If a creature speaks within 120 feet of a voxvoid (for example, as a result of its noise imperative ability), it can expend one use of its Combat Reflexes feat to use this ability. A creature can attempt a DC 23 Will save to negate this ability. On a failed save, the voxvoid gains sound points depending on the nature of the spoken words: for a spell with verbal components, it gains sound points equal to 1 + the spell level, it gains half the target’s class level or Hit Dice (minimum 1) for bardic performance with audible components, and it gains 1 point for non-magical speech. The spell or use of the bardic performance is lost with no other effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

A voxvoid can expend sound points equal to the spell level to cast any power word spell or any evocation spell with the sonic descriptor (this allows it to use spells with additional descriptors, such as dictum). It does this as if it were using a spell-like ability as a standard action (regardless of the spell’s actual casting time). Its caster level is equal to its Hit Dice.

Inknulls and voxvoids hail from a demiplane of sound and sigils, dominated by the towering Cathedral of Sound and the Ink-Stained Tower. The Cathedral of Sound is an ornate building crafted from solid sound structures. Within the cathedral, and everywhere within 1 mile of the building, sound is so overwhelming it causes deafness in all creatures not composed of sound. The Ink-Stained Tower looks like a mighty fountain pen jabbed directly into the ground. Ink flows like an airborne river to the top of the tower and pools around the tower in a 1-mile-diameter lake. Rumor states that if visitors were to take the time to sift through the symbols composing the inky lake and somehow avoid triggering destructive magical glyphs and symbols (or at least survive the triggering), they would learn the secrets of the universe or the true names of powerful outsiders. The same may hold true of the Cathedral of Sound, but no mortal creature has survived the experience with its sanity intact.

Inknulls and voxvoids spend most of their long lives on their demiplane, but they often leave to gather unique writing and sounds to return to their home. They have similar approaches to their tasks and often stalk powerful creatures to curate the material they desire. Neither inknulls or voxvoids are particularly patient and are never subtle when they reveal themselves. They use their innate abilities to induce their targets to produce writing or sound and focus their attention on targets that can produce magically charged material. Depending on the nature of the potential prize, these creatures fight to the death or give up the fight immediately. It is also possible to parlay with the creatures to give them what they desire without resorting to conflict.

Frightful Fridays! Osteohulk

Hello and welcome back to another week of Frightful Fridays! I had accidentally scheduled this for today instead of yesterday, so I'm running late because I clicked the wrong day. :)

At any rate, today's monster is a skeleton that requires bones to keep itself going, and it will go after anything and everything with a skeletal structure to fulfill that need. So, you could throw this in a tomb or graveyard, and it will have plenty of fodder beyond the PCs.

I hope you enjoy the osteohulk, and I'll see you next week with another monster!

Finding an image of a winged skeletal humanoid was surprisingly difficult

This skeletal creature approximates a gigantic humanoid skeleton in appearance, but the bones composing it are from a variety of creatures. It has a pair of overlarge wings also fashioned from mismatched bones.

Osteohullk      CR 14

XP 38,400

NE Large undead

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +26

DEFENSE

AC 29, touch 11, flat-footed 27 (+2 Dex, +18 natural, –1 size)

hp 199 (19d8+114)

Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +15

Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4, positive energy cage; DR 15/bludgeoning and good; Immune cold, electricity, undead traits; Resist fire 20

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (poor)

Melee bite +24 (2d8+10/19–20 plus bleed), 2 claws +24 (2d6+10/19–20 plus bone extraction), 2 wings +21 (1d8+5)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks bleed (2d6), breath weapon (60-ft. cone, 12d10 bludgeoning, piercing, and slashing damage, Reflex DC 25 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds)

STATISTICS

Str 31, Dex 14, Con —, Int 8, Wis 19, Cha 23

Base Atk +14; CMB +25; CMD 37

Feats Dazzling Display, Flyby Attack, Hover, Improved Critical (bite, claw), Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Power Attack, Shatter Defenses, Weapon Focus (bite, claw)

Skills Climb +21, Fly +10, Intimidate +28, Perception +26

ECOLOGY

Environment any

Organization solitary or troop (2–12 plus 10–100 skeletons)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bone Extraction (Su) When an osteohulk strikes a creature with a skeleton, the target must attempt a DC 25 Fortitude save or lose parts of its skeletal structure. On a failed save, the target takes 1d4 points of Strength damage and 1d4 points of Dexterity damage, and, for each point of damage dealt, the osteohulk heals 5 hit points or gains 5 temporary hit points for 1 hour (up to a maximum number of temporary hit points equal to its full normal hit points). If the target rolls a natural 1 on its Fortitude save, the osteohulk heals 40 hit points or gains 40 temporary hit points, and the target loses the entirety of its skeleton and becomes immobile, reducing its Strength and Dexterity to 0; a creature made up only of bones (such as a skeleton) is destroyed. This ability also works on objects comprised of bone. Creatures that have taken damage from this ability cannot have the damage restored until they are the recipient of a regenerate spell or replace their lost bones through some other means. The save DC is Charisma-based.

For every 50 temporary hit points an osteohulk possesses, it gains the giant creature simple template. The template stacks with itself (applying the template twice if the osteohulk has between 100 and 149 temporary hit points, and three times if the osteohulk has 150 or more temporary hit points). It loses an application of the template as its temporary hit points are reduced below each 50-point threshold.

Breath Weapon (Su) When an osteohulk uses its breath weapon, it deals 12 points of damage to itself.

Positive Energy Cage (Su) If an osteohulk succeeds at its Will save against spells or effects that deal positive energy damage, it takes no damage and stores the energy in a cavity within its body. It then takes 1 round to convert the energy to negative energy, after which it can release the energy as if it used channel energy with a cleric level equal to its Hit Dice (typically dealing 10d6 negative energy damage and requiring a DC 25 Will save for half damage).

Osteohulks are the result of profane rituals performed over the site of a horrific battle or mass murder (sometimes carried out by the same creatures responsible for the ritual). The bones from the multivarious corpses knit together to create surprisingly mobile undead monsters which spring into existence craving more bone matter. Since they are less than subtle creatures, they usually act as cannon fodder for powerful undead generals. They act as the centerpiece of undead shock troops, otherwise made up of mindless undead providing a vanguard for the troop and fodder for the osteohulks, which sweep up the remnants into their masses, so they can become more powerful as they reach their enemies. Enterprising commanders place osteohulks with trolls and other regenerating creatures, so the undead hulks can increase their size without causing undue harm to the overall squad.

When a typical osteohulk is encountered, it stands roughly 10 feet tall and weighs 800 pounds. Its size and weight fluctuate as it adds to its mass and loses bones during combat.

Frightful Fridays! Red Banded Scorpion

Hello, and welcome to another edition of Frightful Fridays! This week gives you three monsters, all related, but distinct enough that you can use them without making reference to the others. If you want a low-CR scorpion, you're covered. If you want a swarm of scorpions (and who doesn't like swarms, besides many players), they're here. Finally, if you want a scorpion person who barfs out scorpion swarms, that's available too.

I hope you enjoy the red banded scorpion in all its iterations. See you next week with another monster!

Here's the link to the scorpion image above

This black scorpion has crimson bands encircling its body and its oversized pincers. Its stinger drips with liquid the color of blood.

Red Banded Scorpion      CR 3

XP 800

N Tiny vermin

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 30 ft.; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 16, touch 16, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +2 size)

hp 30 (4d8+12)

Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +2

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.

Melee 2 claws +6 (1d4+1 plus attach), sting +6 (1d3+1 plus poison)

Space 2–1/2 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks attach, poison, reflexive sting

STATISTICS

Str 13, Dex 19, Con 16, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 9

Base Atk +3; CMB +5; CMD 16 (24 vs. trip)

Skills Climb +12, Perception +9; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception

SQ hive mind

ECOLOGY

Environment any warm or temperate land or underground

Organization solitary, pair, or colony (3–18)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Attach (Ex) If a red banded scorpion is attached to a creature at the beginning of its turn, it gains a +4 circumstance bonus to attacks with its sting.

Hive Mind (Ex) As long as there are at least two red banded scorpions within 60 feet of each other, if one scorpion is aware of a particular danger, they all are. No scorpion in a group is considered flanked or flat-footed unless all of them are.

Red Banded Scorpion Poison (Ex) Poison—injury; save Fort DC 15; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d4 Str; cure 2 consecutive saves.

Reflexive Sting (Ex) If a red banded scorpion is attached to a creature when it drops below 0 hit points, it makes a sting attack as an immediate action.

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Hundreds of scorpions from a wave of black and crimson.

Red Banded Scorpion Swarm      CR 5

XP 1,600

N Tiny vermin (swarm)

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size)

hp 52 (7d8+21)

Fort +8, Ref +8, Will +3

Defensive Abilities swarm traits

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., climb 20 ft.

Melee swarm (2d6 plus distraction and poison)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks distraction (DC 16), grabby, poison, reflexive stings

STATISTICS

Str 13, Dex 19, Con 16, Int —, Wis 12, Cha 9

Base Atk +5; CMB —; CMD —

Feats Lightning Reflexes[B]

Skills Climb +12; Perception +9; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception

ECOLOGY

Environment any warm or temperate land or underground

Organization solitary or carpet (2–12)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Grabby (Ex) A red banded scorpion swarm makes a free combat maneuver check when a creature leaves its space. It adds Dexterity modifier and a +1 size bonus to its base attack bonus when determining its combat maneuver bonus (giving the typical swarm a +10 CMB). If the combat maneuver check is successful, and for every 5 the check exceeds the target’s CMD, a scorpion remains attached. For each scorpion attached to a creature at the beginning of the swarm’s turn, the creature takes 1 point of bludgeoning damage and is subject to the swarm’s poison (the save DC is reduced by 2). Removing a scorpion requires a standard action, but a creature can remove any number of scorpions from itself or another creature within reach with a full-round action.

Red Banded Scorpion Poison (Ex) Poison—injury; save Fort DC 16; frequency 1/round for 8 rounds; effect 1d6 Str; cure 2 consecutive saves.

Reflexive Stings (Ex) All creatures in a red banded scorpion swarm’s space when it is reduced to 0 hit points take 1d6 points of damage from the swarm and are subject to the swarm’s poison.

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This giant humanoid has massive pincers and a tail arcing from its back over its head. Its skin ripples as if a multitude of creatures crawl just beneath the surface.

Red Banded Scorpion Shell      CR 11

XP 12,800

NE Large monstrous humanoid

Init +7; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +19

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 13, flat-footed 21 (+3 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural, –1 size)

hp 147 (14d10+70)

Fort +11, Ref +14, Will +11

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.

Melee 2 claws +20 (2d6+7/19–20 plus grab), sting +20 (1d8+7 and poison)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks breath weapon (30-ft. cone, 8d6 bludgeoning and piercing damage plus poison, Reflex DC 22 for half, usable every 1d4 rounds), constrict (2d6+7), death is not the end, poison

STATISTICS

Str 25, Dex 17, Con 20, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 11

Base Atk +14; CMB +22 (+26 grapple); CMD 36

Feats Crippling Critical[APG], Critical Focus, Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes

Skills Climb +20, Escape Artist +27, Intimidate +17, Perception +19, Stealth +16, Survival +19

Languages Common

ECOLOGY

Environment any warm or temperate land or underground

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

Treasure standard

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Breath Weapon (Ex) A red banded scorpion shell can use its breath weapon, a cone of living scorpions, 3 times per day. When a creature takes damage from the shell’s breath weapon, it is affected by the shell’s poison. A creature that makes its initial Reflex save gains a +4 bonus on the Fortitude save against the poison.

After a red banded scorpion shell uses its breath weapon, the scorpions form a red banded scorpion swarm anywhere within the cone’s area of effect. This swarm is under the shell’s control.

Death Is Not the End (Ex) If a red banded scorpion shell has not expended all its breath weapon uses for the day when it drops below 0 hit points, it dissolves into a number of red banded scorpion shells equal to the number of remaining uses.

Hive Mind (Ex) As long as there is at least one red banded scorpion (including any within a living red banded scorpion shell) within 60 feet of a red banded scorpion shell, if any of the creatures are aware of a particular danger, they all are. No scorpion or scorpion shell in a group is considered flanked or flat-footed unless all of them are.

Red Banded Scorpion Poison (Ex) Poison—injury; save Fort DC 22; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 2d4 Str; cure 3 consecutive saves.

Red banded scorpions are one of the results of prayers by cultists worshipping heretical (or nearly forgotten) deities that desire to overrun the world with their vermin children. These cultists, in spite of many of their number belonging to humanoid species, believe humanoids don’t deserve the free reign they have over the world and seethe with anger when these so-called civilized beings crush vermin without a thought. One response to calls for the overthrow of these two-legged overlords was the creation of red banded scorpions. These creatures have a hive mind, a desire to gather in large numbers, and an urge to collect flesh from their humanoid victims. As the scorpions increase in population, they store the raw material they have gathered in a pool of their poison which preserves the material. Once they have enough flesh, they craft a humanoid body with the scorpion accoutrements of claws and stinger (requiring the sacrifice of dozens of their number). The scorpions then inhabit the body and their hive mind reaches an apotheosis, granting the gestalt superior intelligence. This shell then returns to lead the cultists who called upon it in the first place, or it infiltrates large cities to sow chaos. Shells tasked with infiltration often take class levels in sorcerer or bard to help with their disguises, allowing them to fit in with more cosmopolitan societies.

A red banded scorpion is 1 foot long with a 2-foot long tail, and it weighs 8 pounds. A red banded scorpion shell stands 9 feet tall, has a 6-foot-long tail, and weighs 800 pounds.

Frightful Fridays! Bramblekin

Hello and welcome back to Frightful Fridays! Continuing the vague plant and fey theme of late, the bramblekin (check this link for the cute little critter) is a fey with a plant growing out of it, which was very convenient for my purposes. It's shy and may try to run away during combat, so PCs should just pounce on it until it's dead. Poor bramblekin...

I hope you enjoy the bramblekin (at least before it dies at the hands/swords/spells of your PCs), and I'll see you next week with another monster!

This stout, green bipedal creature has a friendly countenance, doglike ears, and expressive black eyes. Its most notable feature is the brambly bush sprouting from its back.

Bramblekin      CR 2

XP 600

CN Small fey

Init +2; Senses low-light vision; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 13 (+2 Dex, +2 natural, +1 size)

hp 18 (4d6+4)

Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +5

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., climb 10 ft.

Melee slam +5 (1d4–2 plus burrs), bramble whip +5 (1d4–2 plus bleed and trip)

Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (10 ft. with bramble whip)

Special Attacks bleed (1)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 4th; concentration +5)

   3/day—daze (DC 11), ventriloquism (DC 12)

   1/day—entangle (DC 12)

   1/week—plant growth

STATISTICS

Str 6, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 13

Base Atk +2; CMB –1; CMD 11

Feats Skill Focus (Bluff), Weapon Finesse

Skills Bluff +11, Climb +6, Disguise +8, Knowledge (nature) +6, Perception +8, Stealth +13

Languages Common, Sylvan; plantspeech

SQ rustling distraction

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate forests

Organization solitary or patch (2–12)

Treasure incidental

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Burrs (Ex) A bramblekin leaves burrs behind when it successfully strikes a foe with its slam attack. The target must succeed at a DC 13 Fortitude save or become sickened until the burrs are removed; the target takes a –1 penalty for each previous time the bramblekin used this ability. If the bramblekin attacked a creature larger than itself and exceeded the creature’s Armor Class by 2, the creature is treated as though it stepped on a caltrop, reducing its speed by half until the burrs are removed. Removing the burrs requires a success on a DC 13 Heal check, requiring a full-round action; failing the Heal check by less than 5 still removes the burrs but deals 1d2 points of damage. The save and check DCs are Constitution-based.

Rustling Distraction (Su) A bramblekin can use its ventriloquism spell-like ability to create the sound of rustling bushes. As part of using ventriloquism, it can attempt a Bluff check to create a momentary distraction. The check is opposed by a Sense Motive or Knowledge (nature) check to determine whether the sound is real. Creatures that fail their checks are unable to make attacks of opportunity against the bramblekin until the end of its turn.

Bramblekin serve as gardeners and horticulturists for the fey courts in the primal lands they inhabit. Despite their thorny appearance, they are gifted with green thumbs and take personal pride in the plots they tend, growing despondent when their plants wither and die, as is the natural course. If these bramblekin become overwrought with grief, their employers deploy them to the Prime Material Plane to accompany and protect dryads. They are also meant to gain perspective on the beauty they have available to them as contrasted by the state of plant life in the mundane world. Some bramblekin quickly learn the lesson and return home grateful to be away from the pale and lifeless imitations. However, many become fervent protectors of their new homes and attempt to recreate the glories of the plots from their previous homelands.

In combat, most bramblekin lose any semblance of bravado and attempt to restrain and harry their opponents. When they become severely injured, they attempt to mimic nearby rustling brush to capture their opponents’ attention and slip away while they are preoccupied. More serious bramblekin take levels in druid or ranger to make themselves formidable.

Bramblekin stand just over three feet tall, plus another half a foot to account for the bushes housed on their bodies, and they weigh 70 pounds. They have natural lifespans reaching 60 years. At the end of their time, they detach the bushes growing from their bodies, plant them, and expire, their rotting bodies providing nourishment for the plants. Three months later, several bramblekin emerge fully formed from the ground.

Frightful Fridays! Taraxacat

Hello and welcome back to Frightful Fridays! The image below struck me as something I wanted to work on, and with the cold temperatures where I live, it was a reminder of spring (not too far off now). Of course, dandelions aren't the happiest harbinger of spring, especially for those who try to keep them off their lawns, but the idea of a persistent weed made for some fun monster design.

I hope you enjoy the taraxacat, and I'll see you next week with another monster.

This is a dandy of an illustration!

This vibrant green plant has a bright yellow flower for a head, complete with toothy maw, and another for a tail.

Taraxacat      CR 4

XP 1,200

N Small plant

Init +8; Senses low-light vision; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 13 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +2 natural, +1 size)

hp 37 (5d8+15); regeneration 2 (acid or fire)

Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +3

Defensive Abilities embedded; Immune plant immunities

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 10 ft.

Melee bite +8 (1d6+2 plus trip), 2 claws +8 (1d4+2 plus poison)

Special Attacks pounce

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 11

Base Atk +3; CMB +4; CMD 19 (23 vs. trip)

Feats Dodge, Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse

Skills Perception +9, Stealth +12

SQ reroot

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate plains or forests

Organization solitary, pair, or field (3–16)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Dandy Lion Poison (Ex) Bite—injury; save Fort DC 15; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Dex and victim must succeed at an additional DC 15 Fort save or become sickened for 1 round; cure 2 consecutive saves.

Embedded (Ex) If a taraxacat stands on dirt or soil, it gains a +4 racial bonus to its CMD to resist bull rush, drag, grapple, and trip attempts.

Regeneration (Ex) A taraxacat’s regeneration only works in dirt or soil. If the creature does not take acid and fire damage equal to its total hit points, it beings to regenerate 1 hour later.

Reroot (Su) Once per day as an immediate action, if a taraxacat is on soil, it can teleport itself to another location within the same patch of ground (to a maximum of 600 feet away). This is a teleportation ability.

Taraxacats, or dandy lions, are living dandelions and just as persistent as their immobile cousins. They can thrive in the worst conditions, provided they have a modicum of water and sunlight (occasionally supplemented by fresh meat), and are extraordinarily difficult to destroy. Many unfortunate souls have stopped taraxacat attacks and made sure the creatures were no longer moving only to have them spring back to full health minutes later and renew their attacks. Druids with plant affinities employ taraxacats as guardians but are careful to keep their numbers down to a minimum, since it takes little in the way of reproduction among the plant creatures to have them overrun their habitats. Paradoxically, when their yellow flowers give way to white seed-carrying florets, they are at their most vulnerable, becoming sluggish and more prone to harm from acid and fire, the only things that can truly eradicate them. When they are ready to go to seed, they find secluded locations where they can do so peacefully.

As taraxacats age, they become larger and they learn to rake like their lion namesakes. They are also able to quickly grow smaller versions of themselves. Wild taraxacats rarely live to this advanced age and beyond, since the creatures they prey upon often torch the fields or woods where they and their progeny roam.

Taraxacats measure 3 feet in length, stand 2 feet tall, and weigh 70 pounds.

Taraxacat Companions

Elven druids and others who prefer the company of plants may opt to take a taraxacat as a plant companion.

Starting Statistics: Size Small; Speed 30 ft., climb 10 ft.; AC +2 natural armor; Attack bite (1d6), 2 claws (1d4); Ability Scores Str 11, Dex 20, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 11; Special Attacks trip; Special Qualities low-light vision, regeneration.

4th-Level Advancement: Ability Scores: Str +4, Dex –2, Con +2; Special Attacks poison (Frequency 1 round [6], Effect 1d3 Dex damage and victim must succeed at an additional DC 15 Fort save or become sickened for 1 round, Cure 2 consecutive saves, Con-based DC); Special Qualities reroot.

Frightful Fridays! Ghastig

Hello and welcome to this week's Frightful Fridays! Today's monster is a fey creature and an undead creature, but it's mostly undead, at least in its outlook (vengeance, killing others of its kind, etc.). It's got a combination of powers associated with ghasts and some of the smaller fey, plus the lovely ability to captivate one creature at a time (for protection and so it can devour its Charisma). In short, your PCs will enjoy* encountering this.

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

*Not a guarantee

You got your fey in my undead! You got your undead in my fey!

This creature looks like a shrunken zombie to which someone applied equally decayed wings. Despite the state of its wings, it is capable of holding itself aloft.

Ghastig      CR 5

XP 1,600

NE Tiny undead

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +11

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size)

hp 52 (7d8+21)

Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +7

Defensive Abilities channel resistance +4; DR 5/cold iron; Immune undead traits; SR 16

OFFENSE

Speed 15 ft., fly 40 ft. (average)

Melee bite +11 (1d3–4 plus disease and paralysis), 2 claws +11 (1d2–4 plus disease and paralysis)

Space 2½ ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks captivating glance, charisma drain, disease, fey bane, paralysis (1d6+1 rounds, DC 16)

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

   3/day—charm person (DC 14), color spray (DC 14)

   1/day—confusion (DC 17), crushing despair (DC 17)

STATISTICS

Str 2, Dex 19, Con —, Int 13, Wis 14, Cha 17

Base Atk +5; CMB +7; CMD 13

Feats Deceitful, Lightning Reflexes, Taunt[APG], Weapon Finesse

Skills Bluff +12, Disguise +15, Fly +15, Perception +11, Sense Motive +11, Stealth +20

Languages Aklo, Common, Sylvan

SQ change shape (pixie or sprite, fey form III[UW])

ECOLOGY

Environment any (near concentrations of fey creatures)

Organization solitary, pair, or dance macabre (3–8)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Captivating Glance (Su) The target of a ghastig’s captivating glance must succeed at a DC 16 Will save or become captivated. A creature that successfully saves is not subject to the same ghastig’s ability for 24 hours. A victim under the effects of this ability moves toward the ghastig using the most direct means available. If the path leads the victim through a dangerous area, it receives a second saving throw to end the effect before moving into the danger. A captivated creature can take no action other than to defend itself. It offers no resistance to the ghastig’s attacks. This is a mind-affecting gaze effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Charisma Drain (Su) As a standard action, a ghastig can touch an immobile creature or one affected by its captivating glance and deal 1d4 points of Charisma drain to the target if it fails a DC 16 Will save. The ghastig gains 5 temporary hit points when it successfully uses this ability. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Disease (Su) Ghoul Fever: Bite or claw—injury; save Fort 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 (a fey creature that dies of ghoul fever rises as a ghastig). The new undead creature retains none of the abilities it possessed in life. The creature is not under the control of any other creature.

Fey Bane (Su) A ghastig gains a +2 racial bonus to its attack and damage rolls against fey creatures. It also deals an extra 2d6 points of damage to fey creatures.

Ghastigs result from fey creatures that die as a result of treachery, usually directed by other fey. They return from the dead with vengeance in their shriveled hearts and seek to destroy those who wronged them. Along the way, of course, they find other prey to entertain them. Their preferred strategy is to use their guise as a pixie or sprite to give the initial impression of a relatively harmless opponent, and then they use their captivating glance ability to compel a victim to their side. If they have a choice of victims, they choose the toughest looking creature. They either use their newly captivated victims to protect them from the victims’ allies or as a food source. While their choice of victims in this case usually leaves something to be desired, ghastigs figure they will eventually drain the joy and beauty from every creature they encounter.

Ghastigs never work with humanoid undead, and they barely tolerate working with each other for an extended period. However, evil fey who make convincing promises of reversing the ghastigs’ condition gain the temporary alliance of the undead fey, at least until the ghastigs figure out the ruse or grow impatient with their “benefactors.”

Ghastigs are a mere 2 feet tall and their desiccated bodies weigh only 15 pounds.

Frightful Fridays! Pyrrhamid

Hello and welcome to another edition of Frightful Fridays! Today's monster is a combination of construct and trap, because it is set to explode shortly after it begins combat. The pl ay on words actually came after I decided to make a self-destructing pyramid.

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

Not entirely what I was going for, but I like the art

This rapidly spinning and tumbling golden pyramid somehow always has a stylized eye watching in all directions at its top.

Pyrrhamid      CR 11

XP 12,800

N Small construct

Init +8; Senses darkvision 60 ft., diagnostic scan, low-light vision, true seeing, tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +21

DEFENSE

AC 26, touch 16, flat-footed 21 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +10 natural, +1 size)

hp 107 (15d10+20)

Fort +5, Ref +9, Will +7

DR 15/adamantine; Immune construct traits, magic

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 60 ft. (good)

Melee 3 slams +21 (2d4+5), 3 tethers +19 (1d4+2 plus grab)

Special Attacks adamantine tethers, countdown to destruction

Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. (20 ft. with tethers)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +21)

   Constant—true seeing

STATISTICS

Str 21, Dex 18, Con —, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 23

Base Atk +15; CMB +19 (+21 drag, +23 grapple); CMD 34 (36 vs. drag, can't be tripped)

Feats Dodge, Hover, Improved Drag[APG], Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Perception), Toughness

Skills Fly +14, Perception +21, Spellcraft +9; Racial Modifiers +12 Spellcraft

ECOLOGY

Environment any (tombs and vaults)

Organization solitary

Treasure double (if the pyrrhamid is prevented from self-destructing)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Adamantine Tether (Ex) If a pyrrhamid begins its turn with a creature grappled in one of its tethers, it can spend a standard action to entangle the creature in the thin adamantine wire. The wire has hardness 20, 15 hp, and a break DC of 25. A pyrrhamid cannot attack with the tether it has a creature entangled in and cannot move more than 20 feet from that creature, but it is not considered grappled.

Countdown to Destruction (Su) On a pyrrhamid's turn during the first normal round of combat, it initiates a countdown timer, usually set by its owner or 1d4+1 rounds otherwise. At the end of the round where its countdown timer reaches 0, it duplicates the effect of a maximized detonate spell keyed to an energy type it has determined to be most effective based on its diagnostic scan (defaulting to fire).

Even if a pyrrhamid is destroyed, it still counts down to 0. Disabling a pyrrhamid requires it to be destroyed or otherwise immobilized and a successful DC 28 Disable Device check. Its owner can automatically terminate the timer, but the owner must issue a verbal command to do so. The check DC is Charisma-based and includes a +5 racial bonus.

Diagnostic Scan (Su) As a move action, a pyrrhamid can scan all creatures within 30 feet to determine if they have any resistances or immunities to energy from spells or magic items. It must succeed at a Spellcraft check (DC equals 10 + caster level of the spell or effect) for each source of protection. A pyrrhamid cannot discern protection related to a creature’s race (such as the resistances enjoyed by an aasimar).

Immunity to Magic (Ex) A pyrrhamid 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.

• A chill metal spell causes the pyrrhamid to delay its countdown timer for the spell’s duration, with no saving throw.
• A heat metal spell reduces the pyrrhamid’s countdown timer by 1d4 rounds, with no saving throw.
• Transmute metal to wood grants reduces the pyrrhamid’s damage resistance to DR 5/adamantine and grants a +5 enhancement bonus on attempts to disarm a destroyed pyrrhamid still in its countdown mode. The pyrrhamid receives no saving throw against this spell and is treated as a non-magic object for purposes of the spell.
• A pyrrhamid takes full damage from its own maximized detonate spell-like ability.

Pyrrhamids are constructs with a single purpose: to detain and destroy intruders. Regrettably, unless their owners are nearby to shut them down, they destroy themselves along with their intended targets. Pyrrhamids are placed nearby by not within tombs and vaults containing valuable treasure; if they are placed with treasure, their owners set their energy type for the least impact to the treasure when they detonate. Pyrrhamids attempt to ensnare their victims, but give chase to those escaping their grasp. If they can’t detain their prey, they give chase or ensure they are present when their timers expire so they can maximize the damage done to their prey when they explode.

Construction

A pyrrhamid is constructed from a single block of gold and has three inset cat’s eye chrysoberyl gems. The entirety costs 10,000 gp.

Pyrrhamid

CL 15th; Price 25,000 gp

CONSTRUCTION

Requirements Craft Construct, detonate, lesser geas, true seeing, caster must be at least 15th level; Skill Craft (sculpting) DC 20; Cost 17,500 gp

Frightful Fridays! Awful Aquatica

Hello and welcome back to another Frightful Fridays! (with extra alliteration) Today's monsters make aquatic adventuring even more of a challenge, but many players enjoy challenges, right? So, chuck on of these into the pool for an even better chance of a character's watery death.

I hope you enjoy these underwater horrors. See you next week with something else!

 This (im)pales in comparison to other fish

This mud-colored fish has a powerful jaw and a mouth filled with sword-like teeth.

Bubble Burster Fish      CR 9

XP 6,400

CN Large magical beast (aquatic)

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., detect magic, low-light vision; Perception +10

DEFENSE

AC 24, touch 12, flat-footed 21 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +12 natural, –1 size)

hp 114 (12d10+48)

Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +8

OFFENSE

Speed 5 ft., swim 60 ft.

Melee bite +18 (3d6+7 plus grab and bleed), tail slap +13 (2d6+3)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks bleed (1d6), bubble burster, drag to the depths

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

   constant—detect magic

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate and warm water

Organization solitary or school (2–16)

Treasure indicental

STATISTICS

Str 25, Dex 15, Con 18, Int 5, Wis 18, Cha 14

Base Atk +12; CMB +20 (+24 grapple, +24 sunder); CMD 33 (35 vs. sunder, can't be tripped)

Feats Dodge, Greater Sunder, Improved Sunder, Mobility, Power Attack, Spring Attack

Skills Perception +10, Spellcraft +9, Stealth +9, Swim +19; Racial Modifiers +12 Spellcraft

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bubble Burster (Su) If a bubble burster fish grapples a foe at the beginning of its turn, it can attempt to dispel magic (using its HD as its caster level) on all spells or effects that provide the foe with air bubbles or water breathing. It makes a single dispel check against all applicable spells and effects.

Drag to the Depths (Ex) If a bubble burster fish uses its Spring Attack feat and grabs a foe with its bit attack, it can carry the foe with it by succeeding on a second combat maneuver check to grapple the foe. On a failed check, the fish no longer grapples its opponent, but it can complete its movement per Spring Attack.

Bubble burster fish were bred by aquatic races specifically to thwart invasion attempts by land-dwelling creatures. They still serve that role, but many of the fish have escaped captivity and now roam the oceans, seas, and wide rivers where they were once employed. They have an instinctive ability to discern landbound prey from aquatic prey and they supplement this a sensitivity to magic which allows its recipients to survive underwater. While independent bubble burster fish prefer to attack prey originating from land, they have no qualms about attacking marine creatures. However, they find it enormously satisfying to render useless magic (through their dispel magic ability) or physical items (via sundering) sustaining trespassers with no ability to breathe water, so they attack such prey in preference to others.

A bubble burster fish measures 12 feet in length and weighs 350 pounds.

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This doesn't remotely match the monster below, but I couldn't say no to this image

This gray marine mammal moves lazily through the water.

Meanatee      CR 7

XP 3,200

NE Large magical beast (aquatic)

Init –1; Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +14

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 8, flat-footed 20 (–1 Dex, +12 natural, –1 size)

hp 85 (9d10+36)

Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +6

DR 10/piercing; Resist cold 10

OFFENSE

Speed 10 ft., swim 40 ft.

Melee head butt +14 (2d8+5/19–20), 2 slams +13 (2d6+5)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft.

Special Attacks crushing embrace, nerve-rattling blow

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 9th; concentration +12)

   3/day—slow (DC 15)

STATISTICS

Str 21, Dex 8, Con 19, Int 4, Wis 17, Cha 16

Base Atk +9; CMB +15 (+17 bull rush); CMD 24 (26 vs. bull rush)

Feats Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (head butt), Power Attack, Quick Bull Rush[UC], Weapon Focus (head butt)

Skills Bluff +3, Perception +14, Swim +17

SQ amphibious, playful antics

ECOLOGY

Environment temperate and warm rivers and lakes

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

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Crushing Embrace (Ex) If a meanatee hits the same target with both of its slam attacks, it can attempt a combat maneuver check to grapple its foe (with a +4 racial bonus to the attempt). If successful, it immediately deals damage per its slam attack to the target. If the meanatee begins its turn with an opponent grappled in this way, it deals damage per its slam attack, and it can move with its opponent during its turn.

Nerve-Rattling Blow (Ex) If a meanatee confirms a critical hit with its head butt attack, the target must succeed on a DC 18 Fortitude save or become stunned for 1d6 rounds. On a successful save, the target is instead staggered for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Playful Antics (Ex) A meanatee can roll around and frolic, similarly to a manatee, in an attempt to lull its prey into a false sense of security. At the beginning of combat, if the meanatee is adjacent to an intelligent foe and succeeds on a Bluff check (with a +12 racial bonus), opposed by the adjacent foe’s Sense Motive check, it treats that opponent as flat-footed.

Meanatees originally resembled gray orcas, but the same wild surge of magic that granted them a modicum of arcane power also allowed to alter their appearance to the more benign form they wear. The creatures take advantage of this relatively harmless appearance to lure in and attack unsuspecting prey that might view them as “cute” or mistakenly as easy targets. They overcome their relative lack of speed on land and in the water with their own ability to make their prey sluggish. They attack with their surprisingly hard heads, capable of temporarily overwhelming their opponents’ nervous systems to paralyze them, and by using their powerful flipper to grab hold of opponents and drag them away, preferably into the depths.

Meanatees are typically 11 feet long and weigh close to 500 pounds.

Frightful Fridays! Shocking Pink Millipede

Hello and happy Friday! I'm back this week with a fun (not so) little vermin based on a real-life critter that sprays cyanide gas to deter predators. That already makes it a potential threat to adventurers, but I ratcheted it up to add a little blood drinking to add to its luscious pink coloration. There's also a swarm version of its young, just for added fun.

I hope you enjoy the shocking pink millipede (and its many, many young). I'll be back next week with another monster. Happy 2018!

Pretty (deadly) in pink

This vibrant pink millipede is longer than most constrictor snakes. Its many segments and legs allow it to move in an unpredictably, undulating pattern.

Giant Shocking Pink Millipede      CR 6

XP 2,400

N Large vermin

Init +2; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +8

DEFENSE

AC 20, touch 12, flat-footed 17 (+2 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural, –1 size)

hp 76 (9d8+36)

Fort +10, Ref +5, Will +3

Defensive Abilities evasion; Immune mind-affecting effects, poison; Resist fire 5

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., climb 30 ft.

Melee bite +12 (3d6+10 plus blood drain and grab)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.

Special Attacks blood drain (1d4 Con), poison

STATISTICS

Str 25, Dex 14, Con 18, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 7

Base Atk +6; CMB +14 (+18 grapple); CMD 27 (can't be tripped)

Feats Dodge[B]

Skills Climb +15, Perception +8; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception

ECOLOGY

Environment warm mountains and underground

Organization solitary or nest (3–8)

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Poison (Ex) Once every 1d2 rounds, a giant shocking pink millipede can release a 20-foot radius cloud of cyanide gas, centered on the millipede, as a standard action or as part of a standard action to maintain a grapple. It can also deliver poison with its bite attack.

   Shocking Pink Millipede Poison: Inhaled or Bite—Injury; save Fort DC 18 (Fort DC 16 for inhaled poison); frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Str and 1d4 Con; cure 2 consecutive saves.

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Hundreds of shiny pink millipedes crawl over each other in a writhing mass. An almond smell emanates from the crawling collective.

Shocking Pink Millipede Swarm      CR 4

XP 1,200

N Tiny vermin (swarm)

Init +4; Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft.; Perception +4

DEFENSE

AC 18, touch 16, flat-footed 14 (+4 Dex, +2 natural, +2 size)

hp 45 (6d8+18)

Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +2

Defensive Abilities swarm traits; Immune mind-affecting effects, poison; Resist fire 10

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., climb 20 ft.

Melee swarm (2d6 plus distraction and poison)

Space 10 ft.; Reach 0 ft.

Special Attacks blood drain (1d2 Con), distraction (DC 16), poison

STATISTICS

Str 7, Dex 19, Con 16, Int —, Wis 10, Cha 7

Base Atk +4; CMB —; CMD —

Skills Climb +12

ECOLOGY

Environment warm mountains and underground

Organization solitary

Treasure none

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Poison (Ex) Swarm—Injury; save Fort DC 16; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Con; cure 1 save.

Shocking pink millipedes dwell in volcanic regions above ground and underground locations where lava flows. They get their name from the unique pink color they possess, indicative of both the blood they ingest and the danger they present even to creatures not within their reach. The poisonous gases in their habitats make them resistant to all toxic substances, and they evolved a means to store cyanide gas, which they inject into their bites and expel from their bodies. The millipedes use their poison to slow down their prey, making it easier to feed on the blood that provides them with sustenance. They also use it to deter creatures from freeing victims they have latched onto with their powerful bites.

Adult shocking pink millipedes are 15 feet in length and weigh 300 pounds. They produce young twice a year in secluded, volcanically active areas. The hundreds of eggs burst forth into a swarm of considerably smaller millipedes (measuring 2 feet in length). The first month of the swarm’s existence is its most dangerous as it seeks out any source of food, including the parent millipedes. Eventually, the swarm turns on itself, and only a handful of millipedes survive to reach adulthood.