Hallucigenia, Cave |
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Small Vermin
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| Hit Dice: 4d8+4 (22 hp) |
| Initiative: +3 |
| Speed: 5 ft (1 square), climb 5 ft |
| Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +3 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 11 |
| Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+0 (+4 when attached) |
| Attack: Spine slam +5 melee (2d6+2) |
| Full Attack: Spine slam +5 melee (2d6+2) |
| Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft |
| Special Attacks: Attach, blood drain, yank upward |
| Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft |
| Saves: Fort +5,
Ref +4, Will +1
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| Abilities: Str 14,
Dex 17, Con 13,
Int ---, Wis 10,
Cha 2 |
| Skills: Climb +10, Hide +7*, Move Silently +3* |
| Feats: --- |
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| Environment: Underground |
| Organization: Solitary or colony (1-12) |
| Challenge Rating: 02 |
| Treasure: None |
| Alignment: Always neutral |
| Advancement: 5-8 HD (Small); 9-12 HD (Medium) |
| Level Adjustment: --- |
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This bizarre creature almost defies description. Its spindly form has a tentacled tail-like organ at one end, and a set of over a dozen sharp, flexible, spiny legs that prop it upright.
The hallucigenia, perhaps aptly named because some explorers swear that it must be a hallucination, is a creature with an anatomy so strange that nothing about it can be assumed. This subspecies of hallucigenia is a pure carnivore, subsisting on blood alone. It has evolved somewhat to live in caverns on dry land.
A cave hallucigenia is 3 feet long and weighs about 50 pounds.
COMBAT
A cave hallucigenia hunts by wrapping its tail-tentacles around a stalactite, hanging over a passage or intersection and waiting for prey. When it spots a suitable target its tail stretches to several times its length, allowing the hallucigenia to strike from above. It draws the prey back upwards by retracting its tail, where it may drain the victim’s blood at leisure. Drained victims are dropped on the floor, possibly providing a warning of danger to other travelers.
Attach (Ex): If a cave hallucigenia hits with a spine slam attack, it uses its spines to latch onto the opponent’s body. An attached hallucigenia is effectively grappling its prey. The hallucigenia loses its Dexterity bonus to AC and has an AC of 11, but holds on with great tenacity. Cave hallucigenia have a +4 racial bonus on grapple checks (already figured into the Base Attack/Grapple entry above).
An attached hallucigenia can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself. To remove an attached hallucigenia through grappling, the opponent must achieve a pin against the hallucigenia.
Blood Drain (Ex): A cave hallucigenia can drain blood from a living victim by making a successful grapple check. It if pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution damage each round the pin is maintained.
Yank Upward (Ex): On the round after a cave hallucigenia attaches to a Medium or smaller foe, it can automatically yank the held creature 20 feet up into the air if it is still successfully grappling. The hallucigenia must currently be climbing along the ceiling or wall to use this ability. Opponents who escape the grapple take falling damage as they fall to the ground.
Skills: Cave hallucigenia have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks. A cave hallucigenia can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.
*A cave hallucigenia has a +4 bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks in caverns. |
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1994 Wizards of the Coast, Inc.
Originally found in Dragon Magazine #204 (“Creatures That Time Forgot,” April 1994, Gregory W. Detwiler). |
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