Predatory Fish

Well, it seems that the Monster Manual II has finally given us sharks (won’t the sahuagin be thrilled), but there are plenty of other dangerous fish that could conceivably make an adventurer's life a little more interesting. The fish in this update are meant to give DMs some options for aquatic encounters, and each of the three fish presented here can be used as is or as a general template for predatory fish in both fresh and saltwater.

BD
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Predatory Fish

Various types of predatory fish can be found in the oceans, lakes, and rivers of the known world. Many of these can pose a danger to adventurers venturing into the water.

Predatory Fish Lore

A character can learn the following with a successful Nature check.

DC 15: Ballista fish are large, fast-moving predatory fish that live in warm, shallow seas. They typically do not attack target larger than Small size, but schools of these dangerous fish have been known to attack larger prey.

DC 15: Razorfish swarms are found in tropical lakes and rivers. They attack anything that enters the water, and can reduce a Medium sized creature to skeletal remains in a matter of minutes.

DC 20: Gapemaw groupers are massive, carnivorous fish that typically live in deep oceans. They are slow moving, and must rely on ambush tactics to capture prey. It is said that a gapemaw grouper can swallow a whole adventuring party and still have room to spare.

Ballista Fish (Barracuda), Level 1 Soldier
Medium natural beast (aquatic), XP 100
Initiative +6 Senses Perception +6; low-light vision
HP 30; Bloodied 15
AC 17; Fortitude 14, Reflex 15, Will 12
Speed swim 10
Bite (standard; at-will)
+7 vs. AC; 1d8+2 damage.
Ballista Charge (standard; at-will)
When a ballista fish charges, it can move 10 squares and deals an additional 1d6 damage on a successful hit.
Alignment Unaligned Languages –
Skills Stealth +9
Str 15 (+2) Dex 18 (+4) Wis 12 (+1)
Con 14 (+2) Int 2 (-4) Cha 10 (+0)
Description The sleek, predatory fish has a mouthful of needle fangs. Its darting motion and silvery scales give it the appearance of surging crossbow or ballista bolt.

Ballista Fish Tactics

A ballista fish attacks with its powerful jaws, which are lined with dozens of dagger-like teeth. It typically hides in shallow reefs, waiting for prey to swim within range of its ballista charge.

Razorfish Swarm (Piranha), Level 6 Skirmisher
Medium natural beast (aquatic, swarm), XP 250
Initiative +9 Senses Perception +3; low-light vision
Swarm Attack aura 1; a razorfish swarm makes a basic attack as a free action against each enemy that begins its turn in the aura.
HP 72; Bloodied 36
AC 20; Fortitude 17, Reflex 19, Will 15
Resist half damage from melee and ranged attacks; Vulnerable 10 against close and area attacks
Speed swim 6
Shredding Swarm (standard; at-will)
+11 vs. AC; 1d8+4 damage, and the target takes ongoing 5 damage (save ends).
Blood Frenzy (when a creature adjacent to the swarm is bloodied)
When an adjacent creature becomes bloodied for the first time in an encounter, the razorfish swarm’s swarm attack aura increases by one square to an aura 2 until the end of the encounter.
Alignment Unaligned Languages –
Str 12 (+4) Dex 19 (+7) Wis 10 (+3)
Con 16 (+6) Int 2 (-1) Cha 12 (+4)
Description The water roils with hundreds of razor-toothed fish.

Razorfish Swarm Tactics

A razorfish swarm attacks by inflicting hundreds of tiny, bleeding wounds. Its ferocity only increases when an adjacent target becomes bloodied, expanding the range of its swarm aura, and ensuring that nothing escapes its horde of ravenous, razor-toothed mouths.

Gapemaw Grouper, Level 13 Brute
Huge natural beast (aquatic), XP 800
Initiative +8 Senses Perception +11; darkvision
HP 160; Bloodied 80
AC 25; Fortitude 26, Reflex 22, Will 20
Speed swim 6
Bite (standard; at-will)
Reach 2; +16 vs. AC; 3d6+7 damage, and the target is grabbed (until escape). A gapemaw grouper cannot make bite attacks while grabbing a creature, but it can use swallow whole.
Swallow Whole (standard; at-will)
The gapemaw grouper attempts to swallow a Medium or smaller creature it is grabbing; +14 vs. Fortitude; on a hit, the target is swallowed and restrained (no save) and takes 10 damage plus 10 acid damage on subsequent rounds at the start of the gapemaw grouper’s turn. The swallowed creature can make melee basic attacks with one-handed or natural weapons. If the gapemaw grouper dies, any creature trapped inside it can escape as a move action, ending that action in a square formerly occupied by the gapemaw grouper. If the gapemaw grouper fails to swallow a target, the target is still grabbed, and the gapemaw grouper can attempt to swallow it on its next turn. A gapemaw grouper’s gullet can hold up to four Medium-sized creatures at once.
Vacuum Gulp (standard; recharge 5,6)
Close blast 3; +12 vs. Fortitude; the target is pulled adjacent to the gapemaw grouper, and the gapemaw grouper makes a bite attack against the target as a free action. A gapemaw grouper can bite and grab up to 3 Medium-sized creatures at once with this attack; however, it can only swallow one creature at a time.
Alignment Unaligned Languages –
Skills Stealth +13
Str 24 (+13) Dex 14 (+8) Wis 10 (+6)
Con 20 (+11) Int 2 (+2) Cha 8 (+5)
Description This colossal fish has a huge, gaping mouth that looks like it could swallow a dragon with a single gulp.

Gapemaw Grouper Tactics

Slow and ponderous, a gapemaw grouper hides in reefs and sea grass and waits for prey to swim close. It then uses vacuum gulp to suck any unfortunate prey into its cavernous maw, swallowing its meal whole.

Encounter Groups

Predatory fish are sometimes encountered with aquatic humanoids that train them for various purposes, just as terrestrial humanoids train animals such as wolves and bears.

Level 6 Encounter (XP 1,150)

• 2 naiads (level 5 lurker)*
• 3 razorfish swarms (level 6 skirmisher)

Level 12 Encounter (XP 3,300)

• 2 sahuagin baron (level 10 elite brute)
• 2 sahuagin priests (level 8 artillery)
• 2 gapemaw groupers (level 13 brute)

*Found in Critter Cache: Fey Folk