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Cleon Specials – SRD Redux Monsters and Related Creatures
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<blockquote data-quote="Cleon" data-source="post: 7961890" data-attributes="member: 57383"><p><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong>Deep-Dwelling Octopus</strong></span></p><p>Medium Magical Beast (Aquatic)</p><p><strong>Hit Dice:</strong> 3d10–3 (13 hp)</p><p><strong>Initiative:</strong> +2</p><p><strong>Speed:</strong> 10 ft. (2 squares), climb 10 ft., swim 30 ft.</p><p><strong>Armor Class:</strong> 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12</p><p><strong>Base Attack/Grapple:</strong> +3/+3 [<em>+1 per grappling tentacle</em>]</p><p><strong>Attack:</strong> Primary tentacle +4 melee (1d2) or shortspear +4 melee (1d6)</p><p><strong>Full Attack:</strong> Primary tentacle +4 melee (1d2) and 5 tentacles +2 melee (1d2) and bite +2 melee (1d4); or shortspear +4 melee (1d6) and 2 shortspears +2 melee (1d6) and bite +2 melee (1d4)</p><p><strong>Space/Reach:</strong> 5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacle or shortspear)</p><p><strong>Special Attacks:</strong> All-around tentacles, constrict [<em>1d4 plus 1/extra arm</em>], expert grappler, gnawing beak [<em>grapple or +4 melee, 1d4</em>], improved grab</p><p><strong>Special Qualities:</strong> Bioluminescence, blindsense 20 ft., DR 5/slashing or piercing, ink cloud, jet, rubbery body, superior low-light vision</p><p><strong>Saves:</strong> Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2</p><p><strong>Abilities:</strong> Str 10, Dex 15, Con 9, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 10</p><p><strong>Skills:</strong> Climb +10, Escape Artist +12, Hide +8, Listen +5, Move Silently +4* [<em>+8 in water</em>], Spot +7, Swim +10</p><p><strong>Feats:</strong> Alertness, Blind-Fightᴮ, Multiattackᴮ, Multiweapon Fightingᴮ, Stealthy</p><p><strong>Environment:</strong> Cold aquatic</p><p><strong>Organization:</strong> Solitary, cluster (2–12) or colony (10–40)</p><p><strong>Challenge Rating:</strong> 2</p><p><strong>Treasure:</strong> Standard goods (pearls, jewellery & artworks?)</p><p><strong>Alignment:</strong> Usually neutral good</p><p><strong>Advancement:</strong> 4–6 HD (Medium); 7–9 HD (Large) or by character class</p><p><strong>Level Adjustment:</strong> —</p><p></p><p><em>A floating arrangement of greenish lights resolves into an octopus, with a large body and slim, dainty tentacles longer than a man is tall. It has the pallid skin and huge eyes of a creature that sees very little light.</em></p><p></p><p>Deep-dwelling octopuses are mysterious cephalopods that farm shellfish, worms and shrimp around hydrothermal vents in the abyssal depths of the ocean. Although they have learned to be capable fighters to deal with marine predators they have little experience with hostile sapients and are peaceful, curious and benevolent creatures. Most reside in a state of semi-innocence and possess no weapons. The few colonies that are regularly attacked by hostile creatures will have crafted bone spears to defend themselves with.</p><p></p><p>These cephalopods have learned how to use tools and practice deepwater animal husbandry. They are fine sculptors but have no concept of money, spellcasting or religion. Deep-dweller society is remarkably egalitarian, with all members having (nearly) equal standing and working together for the common good. Particularly powerful octopuses are valued for their greater ability to help the colony, but do not have any higher authority.</p><p></p><p>Deep-dwelling octopuses can move about dry land by slowly dragging themselves along with their tentacles. They can not breathe air like the Sea Demon octopus, so must soon return to water or drown.</p><p></p><p>An average deep-dwelling octopus has a 15 foot armspan and weighs around 65 pounds.</p><p></p><p>These creatures speak a language based on patterns of bioluminescence and beak-clicks, making it very difficult for other races to communicate with them.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Combat</span></strong></p><p>A deep-dwelling octopus can strike with up to six of its eight tentacles simultaneously when making a full attack, dividing its attacks among as many opponents as it likes. A deep-dweller can bring all six of its tentacle attacks to bear against an opponent of its own size or more, it can attack a creature 1 size smaller with 4 tentacles, and opponents 2 or more sizes smaller with 2 tentacles.</p><p></p><p>In combination with its natural abilities, a deep-dwelling octopus’s Multiweapon Fighting feat allows it to attack with all its arms at no penalty.</p><p></p><p>An opponent can attack a deep-dwelling octopus’s tentacles with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. A deep-dwelling octopus’s tentacles have 4 hit points each. If a deep-dweller is currently grappling a target with the tentacle that is being attacked, it usually uses another limb to make its attack of opportunity against the opponent making the sunder attempt. Severing one of the octopus’s tentacles deals 2 points of damage to the creature. A deep-dwelling octopus usually withdraws from combat if it loses four tentacles. The creature regrows severed limbs in 1d10+10 days.</p><p></p><p><strong>All-Around Tentacles (Ex):</strong> A deep-dwelling octopus can attack and defend in all directions without penalty and can not be flanked.</p><p></p><p><strong>Bioluminescence (Ex):</strong> A deep-dwelling octopus can produce an eerie blue light from specialized spots on its skin. It has complete conscious control of the pattern and brightness of the light-spots and can create anything between a glimmer fainter than a candle to a glow equal to a lamp, clearly illuminates a 15-foot radius and giving shadowy illumination out to a 30-foot radius. It can opt to completely extinguish its organic lights if it wants to use the concealment of darkness.</p><p></p><p><strong>Blindsense (Ex):</strong> A deep-dwelling octopus can locate creatures within a 20-foot radius by feeling water-movements with its sensitive tentacles. This ability works only when the octopus is underwater.</p><p></p><p><strong>Constrict (Ex):</strong> Every round a deep-dwelling octopus maintains a grapple it can automatically deal 1d4 points of constriction damage, the damage is increased by 1 for each additional tentacle the octopus constricts the opponent with. A deep-dwelling octopus can simultaneously Constrict every opponent it is holding in a tentacle and can simultaneously use its Gnawing Beak on one grappled opponent it is close enough to bite. It can only use the Gnawing Beak’s “Gnaw through DR/hardness” full attack option if it constricts a single opponent.</p><p></p><p>A grappled opponent can use a standard grapple action to attempt to break the constriction, for every point they beat the octopus's grapple check they break the hold of one tentacle. They need to beat the deep-dwelling octopus's grapple check by a number greater than the number of tentacles it is holding them with to entirely break free of the grapple.</p><p></p><p><em>Example:</em> a deep-dwelling octopus is holding a triton adventuress with five tentacles, an average deep-dwelling octopus constricting with 5 tentacles inflicts 1d4+4 damage. The triton tries to break the constriction. The deep-dweller rolls 13 on its grapple check, the triton a 16. Since the triton rolled 3 higher, she breaks the hold of 3 tentacles and only takes 1d4+1 constriction damage from the remaining two tentacles. She'd have needed to roll 5 or more higher than the octopus's grapple check to break free.</p><p></p><p><strong>Expert Grappler (Ex):</strong> If a deep-dwelling octopus chooses to grapple with its tentacles and remain ungrappled itself, it takes a –10 penalty on its grapple checks instead of the normal –20 penalty.</p><p></p><p><strong>Gnawing Beak (Ex):</strong> A deep-dwelling octopus can bite an opponent it is grappling as a primary attack (bite +4 melee for 1d4 damage) or by succeeding at an opposed grapple check (for the same damage). If the octopus spends a full-round attack to make the opposed grapple check, its gnawing beak damage ignores damage reduction and hardness of up to 8.</p><p></p><p><strong>Improved Grab (Ex):</strong> To use this ability, a deep-dwelling octopus must hit an opponent of any size with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.</p><p></p><p>If the octopus hits an opponent with multiple tentacles as part of a full attack it only rolls one grapple check to establish a hold, but it gets a bonus to the grapple check equal to the number of tentacles it hits with.</p><p></p><p><strong>Ink Cloud (Ex):</strong> A deep-dwelling octopus can emit a cloud of glowing ink in a 10 foot radius sphere once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the octopus normally uses to escape a losing fight. Any creature in the area of effect is stained with blue luminescence for 4d4 rounds, with the same effects as a <em>faerie fire</em> spell. If they succeed at a DC11 Reflex save they are only stained for 1d3 rounds.</p><p></p><p>The save DC is Charisma-based.</p><p></p><p><strong>Rubbery Body (Ex):</strong> A deep-dwelling octopus's boneless and elastic body gives it damage resistance 5 against bludgeoning damage, which includes most crushing and constriction attacks, and also allows it to squeeze through narrow confines as it if were two size category smaller than it actually is.</p><p></p><p><strong>Superior Low-Light Vision (Ex):</strong> A deep-dwelling octopus large eyes see five times as far as a human in shadowy conditions.</p><p></p><p><strong>Skills:</strong> A deep-dwelling octopus’s rubbery body gives it a +10 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks. A deep-dwelling octopuses has a +4 racial bonus to Hide and their keen eyesight gives them a +4 racial bonus to Spot.</p><p></p><p>A deep-dwelling octopus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered, and can use either its Dexterity or its Strength bonus for Swim checks, whichever is better. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. A deep-dweller also has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks, may use either its Dexterity or its Strength bonus on Climb checks, and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.</p><p></p><p>*Deep-dwellers have a +4 racial bonus to Move Silently checks when in the water.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Advanced Deep-Dwelling Octopuses</strong></span></p><p>Deep-dwelling octopuses usually only gain levels in NPC classes, generally investing their skill points in Craft, Handle Animal, Perform and Profession skills so they can create art and raise food. Since they have no idea of spellcasting or religion, they usually gain levels in Commoner, Expert or Warrior. A few gain levels in Aristocrat, although these are more like poets and judges than most surface-dweller's concept of a nobleperson. They have no position of authority, they're more historian-advisor and entertainer.</p><p></p><p>The octopuses can also advance by increasing their levels in Animal. When a deep-dwelling octopus advances to 5 Hit Dice it becomes a big deep-dwelling octopus, when it advances to 7 Hit Dice it becomes a giant deep-dwelling octopus, both of which are described below. Note that deep-dwelling octopuses almost invariably use the ability advancement gained at 4 Hit Dice to increase their Dexterity by 1 point and this change is included in their statistics. As a deep-dwelling octopus grows in size its arms become proportionally longer and thinner.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong>Big Deep-Dwelling Octopus</strong></span></p><p>Medium Magical Beast (Aquatic)</p><p><strong>Hit Dice:</strong> 5d10 (27 hp)</p><p><strong>Initiative:</strong> +3</p><p><strong>Speed:</strong> 10 ft. (2 squares), climb 10 ft., swim 30 ft.</p><p><strong>Armor Class:</strong> 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12</p><p><strong>Base Attack/Grapple:</strong> +5/+7 [<em>+1 per grappling tentacle</em>]</p><p><strong>Attack:</strong> Tentacle +7 melee (1d2+2) or shortspear +7 melee (1d6+2)</p><p><strong>Full Attack:</strong> Primary tentacle +7 melee (1d2+2) and 5 tentacles +5 melee (1d2+1) and bite +5 melee (1d4+1); or shortspear +7 melee (1d6+2) and 2 shortspears +5 melee (1d6+1) and bite +5 melee (1d4+1)</p><p><strong>Space/Reach:</strong> 5 ft./5 ft. (15 ft. with tentacle or shortspear)</p><p><strong>Special Attacks:</strong> All-around tentacles, constrict [<em>1d4+2 plus 1d2/extra arm</em>], expert grappler, gnawing beak [<em>grapple or +7 melee, 1d4+2</em>], improved grab</p><p><strong>Special Qualities:</strong> Bioluminescence, blindsense 20 ft., DR 5/slashing or piercing, ink cloud, jet, rubbery body, superior low-light vision</p><p><strong>Saves:</strong> Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +2</p><p><strong>Abilities:</strong> Str 14, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 10</p><p><strong>Skills:</strong> Climb +11, Escape Artist +13, Hide +9, Listen +6, Move Silently +5* [<em>+9 in water</em>], Spot +8, Swim +11</p><p><strong>Feats:</strong> Alertness, Blind-Fightᴮ, Multiattackᴮ, Multiweapon Fightingᴮ, Stealthy</p><p><strong>Environment:</strong> Cold aquatic</p><p><strong>Organization:</strong> Solitary, cluster (2–12) or colony (10–40)</p><p><strong>Challenge Rating:</strong> 4</p><p><strong>Treasure:</strong> Standard goods (pearls, jewellery & artworks?)</p><p><strong>Alignment:</strong> Usually neutral good</p><p><strong>Advancement:</strong> 6 HD (Medium); 7–9 HD (Large) or by character class</p><p><strong>Level Adjustment:</strong> —</p><p></p><p>A big deep-dwelling octopus has a 25 to 30 foot armspan and weighs around 250–300 pounds.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Combat</span></strong></p><p>Tentacles 6 hit points, 3 damage to octopus if severed. Other abilities as above, except:</p><p></p><p><strong>Bioluminescence (Ex):</strong> A big deep-dwelling octopus can produce light up to the brightness of a torch, clearly illuminates a 20-foot radius and giving shadowy illumination out to a 40-foot radius.</p><p></p><p><strong>Constrict (Ex):</strong> Every round a big deep-dwelling octopus maintains a grapple it can automatically deal 1d4+2 points of constriction damage, the damage is increased by 1d2 for each additional tentacle the octopus constricts the opponent with.</p><p></p><p>A grappled opponent can use a standard grapple action to attempt to break the constriction, for every point they beat the octopus's grapple check they break the hold of one tentacle. They must beat the big deep-dwelling octopus's grapple check by a number greater than the number of tentacles it is holding them with to entirely break free of the grapple.</p><p></p><p><em>Example:</em> a big deep-dwelling octopus is holding a triton adventuress with five tentacles, an average deep-dwelling octopus constricting with 5 tentacles inflicts 1d4+4d2 damage. The triton tries to break the constriction. The octopus rolls 13 on its grapple check, the triton a 16. Since the triton rolled 3 higher, she breaks the hold of 3 tentacles and only takes 1d4+1d2 constriction damage from the remaining two tentacles. She'd have needed to roll 5 or more higher than the octopus's grapple check to break free.</p><p></p><p><strong>Gnawing Beak (Ex):</strong> Bite +7 melee (1d4+2) against grappled foes.</p><p></p><p><strong>Ink Cloud (Ex):</strong> 15 ft. radius sphere, Ref DC12. Save DC Charisma-based.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong>Giant Deep-Dwelling Octopus</strong></span></p><p>Large Magical Beast (Aquatic)</p><p><strong>Hit Dice:</strong> 7d10+7 (45 hp)</p><p><strong>Initiative:</strong> +2</p><p><strong>Speed:</strong> 10 ft. (2 squares), climb 10 ft., swim 30 ft.</p><p><strong>Armor Class:</strong> 15 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 13</p><p><strong>Base Attack/Grapple:</strong> +7/+15 [<em>+1 per grappling tentacle</em>]</p><p><strong>Attack:</strong> Tentacle +10 melee (1d3+4) or shortspear +10 melee (1d8+4)</p><p><strong>Full Attack:</strong> Primary tentacle +10 melee (1d3+4) and 5 tentacles +8 melee (1d3+2) and bite +8 melee (1d6+2); or shortspear +10/+5 melee (1d6+4) and 2 shortspears +8 melee (1d6+2) and bite +8 melee (1d6+2)</p><p><strong>Space/Reach:</strong> 10 ft./5 ft. (20 ft. with tentacle or shortspear)</p><p><strong>Special Attacks:</strong> All-around tentacles, constrict [<em>1d6+4 plus 1d3/extra arm</em>], expert grappler, gnawing beak [<em>grapple or +10 melee, 1d6+4</em>], improved grab</p><p><strong>Special Qualities:</strong> Bioluminescence, blindsense 30 ft., DR 5/slashing or piercing, ink cloud, jet, rubbery body, superior low-light vision</p><p><strong>Saves:</strong> Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +5</p><p><strong>Abilities:</strong> Str 18, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 10</p><p><strong>Skills:</strong> Climb +12, Escape Artist +12, Hide +6, Listen +6, Move Silently +4* [<em>+8 in water</em>], Spot +8, Swim +10</p><p><strong>Feats:</strong> Alertness, Blind-Fightᴮ, Iron Will, Multiattackᴮ, Multiweapon Fightingᴮ, Stealthy</p><p><strong>Environment:</strong> Cold aquatic</p><p><strong>Organization:</strong> Solitary, cluster (2–12) or colony (10–40)</p><p><strong>Challenge Rating:</strong> 6</p><p><strong>Treasure:</strong> Standard goods (pearls, jewellery & artworks?)</p><p><strong>Alignment:</strong> Usually neutral good</p><p><strong>Advancement:</strong> 8–9 HD (Large) or by character class</p><p><strong>Level Adjustment:</strong> —</p><p></p><p>A giant deep-dwelling octopus has a 40 to 50 foot armspan and weighs between 750 and 1,500 pounds.</p><p></p><p><strong><span style="font-size: 18px">Combat</span></strong></p><p>Tentacles 8 hit points, 4 damage to octopus if severed. Other abilities as above, except:</p><p></p><p><strong>Bioluminescence (Ex):</strong> A giant deep-dwelling octopus can produce light up to the brightness of a hooded lantern, clearly illuminates a 30-foot radius and giving shadowy illumination out to a 60-foot radius.</p><p></p><p><strong>Constrict (Ex):</strong> 1d6+4 damage, increased by 1d3 for each additional tentacle.</p><p></p><p><strong>Gnawing Beak (Ex):</strong> Bite +10 melee (1d6+4) against grappled foes.</p><p></p><p><strong>Ink Cloud (Ex):</strong> 20 ft. radius sphere, Ref DC13. Save DC Charisma-based.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: green"><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Design Notes</strong></span></span></p><p><span style="color: green">This is an alternative Homebrew version I whipped up while we were converting this monster for the Creature Catalog, in which it’s indexed as the “Deep Dweller”. That version is a less formidable than this one. The Deep-Dwelling Octopus first appeared, under that name, in the <em>Dragon Magazine #190</em> article “Deep Beneath the Waves” by Bryan K. Bernstein.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green">Unlike most octopodes, the deep-dwelling octopus has no chameleon ability. There’s no point it changing its colour to hide in the abyssal depths where there’s no light to see the colours! Presumably this ability evolved to become its bioluminescence, which is actually useful to the creature.</span></p><p><span style="color: green"></span></p><p><span style="color: green">An earlier conversion had Level Adjustments of +3/+5/+6 for standard/big/giant varieties, but I realized that was too low for a creature with both Reach and the ability to wield up to six weapons simultaneously without penalty so increased that by another +2 to +5/+6/+7 which by a pleasant coincidence also gave the standard creature an ECL or 8. However, at CR 2 that seemed too high so I decided to simply cut the Gordian knot and ignore the problem by giving them LA — so they can't become Player Characters which also had the happy effect of making it easier to resist the temptation to stat them up as a <em>Savage Species</em>-style Monster Class. Besides, it'd have to be a pretty strange campaign to include Deep-Dwelling Octopus PCs since these monsters only live around abyssal hydrothermal vents.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="color: red"><strong>Build Notes</strong></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: red">Added Climb speed, changed from "Deepwater Octopus" to "Deep-Dwelling Octopus".</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: red"></span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: red"><strong>Deep-Dwelling Octopus Skill Points:</strong> Escape Artist 0, Hide 2, Listen 2, Move Silently 2, Spot 0, Swim 0 (6SP) </span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: red"><strong>Big Deep-Dwelling Octopus Skill Points:</strong> Escape Artist 0, Hide 2, Listen 3, Move Silently 2, Spot 1, Swim 0 (8SP)</span></span></p><p><span style="font-size: 12px"><span style="color: red"><strong>Giant Deep-Dwelling Octopus Skill Points:</strong> Escape Artist 0, Hide 4, Listen 3, Move Silently 2, Spot 1, Swim 0 (10SP)</span></span></p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cleon, post: 7961890, member: 57383"] [SIZE=6][B]Deep-Dwelling Octopus[/B][/SIZE] Medium Magical Beast (Aquatic) [B]Hit Dice:[/B] 3d10–3 (13 hp) [B]Initiative:[/B] +2 [B]Speed:[/B] 10 ft. (2 squares), climb 10 ft., swim 30 ft. [B]Armor Class:[/B] 14 (+2 Dex, +2 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12 [B]Base Attack/Grapple:[/B] +3/+3 [[I]+1 per grappling tentacle[/I]] [B]Attack:[/B] Primary tentacle +4 melee (1d2) or shortspear +4 melee (1d6) [B]Full Attack:[/B] Primary tentacle +4 melee (1d2) and 5 tentacles +2 melee (1d2) and bite +2 melee (1d4); or shortspear +4 melee (1d6) and 2 shortspears +2 melee (1d6) and bite +2 melee (1d4) [B]Space/Reach:[/B] 5 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with tentacle or shortspear) [B]Special Attacks:[/B] All-around tentacles, constrict [[I]1d4 plus 1/extra arm[/I]], expert grappler, gnawing beak [[I]grapple or +4 melee, 1d4[/I]], improved grab [B]Special Qualities:[/B] Bioluminescence, blindsense 20 ft., DR 5/slashing or piercing, ink cloud, jet, rubbery body, superior low-light vision [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +2 [B]Abilities:[/B] Str 10, Dex 15, Con 9, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 10 [B]Skills:[/B] Climb +10, Escape Artist +12, Hide +8, Listen +5, Move Silently +4* [[I]+8 in water[/I]], Spot +7, Swim +10 [B]Feats:[/B] Alertness, Blind-Fightᴮ, Multiattackᴮ, Multiweapon Fightingᴮ, Stealthy [B]Environment:[/B] Cold aquatic [B]Organization:[/B] Solitary, cluster (2–12) or colony (10–40) [B]Challenge Rating:[/B] 2 [B]Treasure:[/B] Standard goods (pearls, jewellery & artworks?) [B]Alignment:[/B] Usually neutral good [B]Advancement:[/B] 4–6 HD (Medium); 7–9 HD (Large) or by character class [B]Level Adjustment:[/B] — [I]A floating arrangement of greenish lights resolves into an octopus, with a large body and slim, dainty tentacles longer than a man is tall. It has the pallid skin and huge eyes of a creature that sees very little light.[/I] Deep-dwelling octopuses are mysterious cephalopods that farm shellfish, worms and shrimp around hydrothermal vents in the abyssal depths of the ocean. Although they have learned to be capable fighters to deal with marine predators they have little experience with hostile sapients and are peaceful, curious and benevolent creatures. Most reside in a state of semi-innocence and possess no weapons. The few colonies that are regularly attacked by hostile creatures will have crafted bone spears to defend themselves with. These cephalopods have learned how to use tools and practice deepwater animal husbandry. They are fine sculptors but have no concept of money, spellcasting or religion. Deep-dweller society is remarkably egalitarian, with all members having (nearly) equal standing and working together for the common good. Particularly powerful octopuses are valued for their greater ability to help the colony, but do not have any higher authority. Deep-dwelling octopuses can move about dry land by slowly dragging themselves along with their tentacles. They can not breathe air like the Sea Demon octopus, so must soon return to water or drown. An average deep-dwelling octopus has a 15 foot armspan and weighs around 65 pounds. These creatures speak a language based on patterns of bioluminescence and beak-clicks, making it very difficult for other races to communicate with them. [B][SIZE=5]Combat[/SIZE][/B] A deep-dwelling octopus can strike with up to six of its eight tentacles simultaneously when making a full attack, dividing its attacks among as many opponents as it likes. A deep-dweller can bring all six of its tentacle attacks to bear against an opponent of its own size or more, it can attack a creature 1 size smaller with 4 tentacles, and opponents 2 or more sizes smaller with 2 tentacles. In combination with its natural abilities, a deep-dwelling octopus’s Multiweapon Fighting feat allows it to attack with all its arms at no penalty. An opponent can attack a deep-dwelling octopus’s tentacles with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. A deep-dwelling octopus’s tentacles have 4 hit points each. If a deep-dweller is currently grappling a target with the tentacle that is being attacked, it usually uses another limb to make its attack of opportunity against the opponent making the sunder attempt. Severing one of the octopus’s tentacles deals 2 points of damage to the creature. A deep-dwelling octopus usually withdraws from combat if it loses four tentacles. The creature regrows severed limbs in 1d10+10 days. [B]All-Around Tentacles (Ex):[/B] A deep-dwelling octopus can attack and defend in all directions without penalty and can not be flanked. [B]Bioluminescence (Ex):[/B] A deep-dwelling octopus can produce an eerie blue light from specialized spots on its skin. It has complete conscious control of the pattern and brightness of the light-spots and can create anything between a glimmer fainter than a candle to a glow equal to a lamp, clearly illuminates a 15-foot radius and giving shadowy illumination out to a 30-foot radius. It can opt to completely extinguish its organic lights if it wants to use the concealment of darkness. [B]Blindsense (Ex):[/B] A deep-dwelling octopus can locate creatures within a 20-foot radius by feeling water-movements with its sensitive tentacles. This ability works only when the octopus is underwater. [B]Constrict (Ex):[/B] Every round a deep-dwelling octopus maintains a grapple it can automatically deal 1d4 points of constriction damage, the damage is increased by 1 for each additional tentacle the octopus constricts the opponent with. A deep-dwelling octopus can simultaneously Constrict every opponent it is holding in a tentacle and can simultaneously use its Gnawing Beak on one grappled opponent it is close enough to bite. It can only use the Gnawing Beak’s “Gnaw through DR/hardness” full attack option if it constricts a single opponent. A grappled opponent can use a standard grapple action to attempt to break the constriction, for every point they beat the octopus's grapple check they break the hold of one tentacle. They need to beat the deep-dwelling octopus's grapple check by a number greater than the number of tentacles it is holding them with to entirely break free of the grapple. [I]Example:[/I] a deep-dwelling octopus is holding a triton adventuress with five tentacles, an average deep-dwelling octopus constricting with 5 tentacles inflicts 1d4+4 damage. The triton tries to break the constriction. The deep-dweller rolls 13 on its grapple check, the triton a 16. Since the triton rolled 3 higher, she breaks the hold of 3 tentacles and only takes 1d4+1 constriction damage from the remaining two tentacles. She'd have needed to roll 5 or more higher than the octopus's grapple check to break free. [B]Expert Grappler (Ex):[/B] If a deep-dwelling octopus chooses to grapple with its tentacles and remain ungrappled itself, it takes a –10 penalty on its grapple checks instead of the normal –20 penalty. [B]Gnawing Beak (Ex):[/B] A deep-dwelling octopus can bite an opponent it is grappling as a primary attack (bite +4 melee for 1d4 damage) or by succeeding at an opposed grapple check (for the same damage). If the octopus spends a full-round attack to make the opposed grapple check, its gnawing beak damage ignores damage reduction and hardness of up to 8. [B]Improved Grab (Ex):[/B] To use this ability, a deep-dwelling octopus must hit an opponent of any size with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict. If the octopus hits an opponent with multiple tentacles as part of a full attack it only rolls one grapple check to establish a hold, but it gets a bonus to the grapple check equal to the number of tentacles it hits with. [B]Ink Cloud (Ex):[/B] A deep-dwelling octopus can emit a cloud of glowing ink in a 10 foot radius sphere once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the octopus normally uses to escape a losing fight. Any creature in the area of effect is stained with blue luminescence for 4d4 rounds, with the same effects as a [I]faerie fire[/I] spell. If they succeed at a DC11 Reflex save they are only stained for 1d3 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based. [B]Rubbery Body (Ex):[/B] A deep-dwelling octopus's boneless and elastic body gives it damage resistance 5 against bludgeoning damage, which includes most crushing and constriction attacks, and also allows it to squeeze through narrow confines as it if were two size category smaller than it actually is. [B]Superior Low-Light Vision (Ex):[/B] A deep-dwelling octopus large eyes see five times as far as a human in shadowy conditions. [B]Skills:[/B] A deep-dwelling octopus’s rubbery body gives it a +10 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks. A deep-dwelling octopuses has a +4 racial bonus to Hide and their keen eyesight gives them a +4 racial bonus to Spot. A deep-dwelling octopus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered, and can use either its Dexterity or its Strength bonus for Swim checks, whichever is better. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. A deep-dweller also has a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks, may use either its Dexterity or its Strength bonus on Climb checks, and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. *Deep-dwellers have a +4 racial bonus to Move Silently checks when in the water. [SIZE=5][B]Advanced Deep-Dwelling Octopuses[/B][/SIZE] Deep-dwelling octopuses usually only gain levels in NPC classes, generally investing their skill points in Craft, Handle Animal, Perform and Profession skills so they can create art and raise food. Since they have no idea of spellcasting or religion, they usually gain levels in Commoner, Expert or Warrior. A few gain levels in Aristocrat, although these are more like poets and judges than most surface-dweller's concept of a nobleperson. They have no position of authority, they're more historian-advisor and entertainer. The octopuses can also advance by increasing their levels in Animal. When a deep-dwelling octopus advances to 5 Hit Dice it becomes a big deep-dwelling octopus, when it advances to 7 Hit Dice it becomes a giant deep-dwelling octopus, both of which are described below. Note that deep-dwelling octopuses almost invariably use the ability advancement gained at 4 Hit Dice to increase their Dexterity by 1 point and this change is included in their statistics. As a deep-dwelling octopus grows in size its arms become proportionally longer and thinner. [SIZE=6][B]Big Deep-Dwelling Octopus[/B][/SIZE] Medium Magical Beast (Aquatic) [B]Hit Dice:[/B] 5d10 (27 hp) [B]Initiative:[/B] +3 [B]Speed:[/B] 10 ft. (2 squares), climb 10 ft., swim 30 ft. [B]Armor Class:[/B] 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12 [B]Base Attack/Grapple:[/B] +5/+7 [[I]+1 per grappling tentacle[/I]] [B]Attack:[/B] Tentacle +7 melee (1d2+2) or shortspear +7 melee (1d6+2) [B]Full Attack:[/B] Primary tentacle +7 melee (1d2+2) and 5 tentacles +5 melee (1d2+1) and bite +5 melee (1d4+1); or shortspear +7 melee (1d6+2) and 2 shortspears +5 melee (1d6+1) and bite +5 melee (1d4+1) [B]Space/Reach:[/B] 5 ft./5 ft. (15 ft. with tentacle or shortspear) [B]Special Attacks:[/B] All-around tentacles, constrict [[I]1d4+2 plus 1d2/extra arm[/I]], expert grappler, gnawing beak [[I]grapple or +7 melee, 1d4+2[/I]], improved grab [B]Special Qualities:[/B] Bioluminescence, blindsense 20 ft., DR 5/slashing or piercing, ink cloud, jet, rubbery body, superior low-light vision [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +2 [B]Abilities:[/B] Str 14, Dex 16, Con 11, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 10 [B]Skills:[/B] Climb +11, Escape Artist +13, Hide +9, Listen +6, Move Silently +5* [[I]+9 in water[/I]], Spot +8, Swim +11 [B]Feats:[/B] Alertness, Blind-Fightᴮ, Multiattackᴮ, Multiweapon Fightingᴮ, Stealthy [B]Environment:[/B] Cold aquatic [B]Organization:[/B] Solitary, cluster (2–12) or colony (10–40) [B]Challenge Rating:[/B] 4 [B]Treasure:[/B] Standard goods (pearls, jewellery & artworks?) [B]Alignment:[/B] Usually neutral good [B]Advancement:[/B] 6 HD (Medium); 7–9 HD (Large) or by character class [B]Level Adjustment:[/B] — A big deep-dwelling octopus has a 25 to 30 foot armspan and weighs around 250–300 pounds. [B][SIZE=5]Combat[/SIZE][/B] Tentacles 6 hit points, 3 damage to octopus if severed. Other abilities as above, except: [B]Bioluminescence (Ex):[/B] A big deep-dwelling octopus can produce light up to the brightness of a torch, clearly illuminates a 20-foot radius and giving shadowy illumination out to a 40-foot radius. [B]Constrict (Ex):[/B] Every round a big deep-dwelling octopus maintains a grapple it can automatically deal 1d4+2 points of constriction damage, the damage is increased by 1d2 for each additional tentacle the octopus constricts the opponent with. A grappled opponent can use a standard grapple action to attempt to break the constriction, for every point they beat the octopus's grapple check they break the hold of one tentacle. They must beat the big deep-dwelling octopus's grapple check by a number greater than the number of tentacles it is holding them with to entirely break free of the grapple. [I]Example:[/I] a big deep-dwelling octopus is holding a triton adventuress with five tentacles, an average deep-dwelling octopus constricting with 5 tentacles inflicts 1d4+4d2 damage. The triton tries to break the constriction. The octopus rolls 13 on its grapple check, the triton a 16. Since the triton rolled 3 higher, she breaks the hold of 3 tentacles and only takes 1d4+1d2 constriction damage from the remaining two tentacles. She'd have needed to roll 5 or more higher than the octopus's grapple check to break free. [B]Gnawing Beak (Ex):[/B] Bite +7 melee (1d4+2) against grappled foes. [B]Ink Cloud (Ex):[/B] 15 ft. radius sphere, Ref DC12. Save DC Charisma-based. [SIZE=6][B]Giant Deep-Dwelling Octopus[/B][/SIZE] Large Magical Beast (Aquatic) [B]Hit Dice:[/B] 7d10+7 (45 hp) [B]Initiative:[/B] +2 [B]Speed:[/B] 10 ft. (2 squares), climb 10 ft., swim 30 ft. [B]Armor Class:[/B] 15 (–1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 13 [B]Base Attack/Grapple:[/B] +7/+15 [[I]+1 per grappling tentacle[/I]] [B]Attack:[/B] Tentacle +10 melee (1d3+4) or shortspear +10 melee (1d8+4) [B]Full Attack:[/B] Primary tentacle +10 melee (1d3+4) and 5 tentacles +8 melee (1d3+2) and bite +8 melee (1d6+2); or shortspear +10/+5 melee (1d6+4) and 2 shortspears +8 melee (1d6+2) and bite +8 melee (1d6+2) [B]Space/Reach:[/B] 10 ft./5 ft. (20 ft. with tentacle or shortspear) [B]Special Attacks:[/B] All-around tentacles, constrict [[I]1d6+4 plus 1d3/extra arm[/I]], expert grappler, gnawing beak [[I]grapple or +10 melee, 1d6+4[/I]], improved grab [B]Special Qualities:[/B] Bioluminescence, blindsense 30 ft., DR 5/slashing or piercing, ink cloud, jet, rubbery body, superior low-light vision [B]Saves:[/B] Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +5 [B]Abilities:[/B] Str 18, Dex 14, Con 13, Int 9, Wis 12, Cha 10 [B]Skills:[/B] Climb +12, Escape Artist +12, Hide +6, Listen +6, Move Silently +4* [[I]+8 in water[/I]], Spot +8, Swim +10 [B]Feats:[/B] Alertness, Blind-Fightᴮ, Iron Will, Multiattackᴮ, Multiweapon Fightingᴮ, Stealthy [B]Environment:[/B] Cold aquatic [B]Organization:[/B] Solitary, cluster (2–12) or colony (10–40) [B]Challenge Rating:[/B] 6 [B]Treasure:[/B] Standard goods (pearls, jewellery & artworks?) [B]Alignment:[/B] Usually neutral good [B]Advancement:[/B] 8–9 HD (Large) or by character class [B]Level Adjustment:[/B] — A giant deep-dwelling octopus has a 40 to 50 foot armspan and weighs between 750 and 1,500 pounds. [B][SIZE=5]Combat[/SIZE][/B] Tentacles 8 hit points, 4 damage to octopus if severed. Other abilities as above, except: [B]Bioluminescence (Ex):[/B] A giant deep-dwelling octopus can produce light up to the brightness of a hooded lantern, clearly illuminates a 30-foot radius and giving shadowy illumination out to a 60-foot radius. [B]Constrict (Ex):[/B] 1d6+4 damage, increased by 1d3 for each additional tentacle. [B]Gnawing Beak (Ex):[/B] Bite +10 melee (1d6+4) against grappled foes. [B]Ink Cloud (Ex):[/B] 20 ft. radius sphere, Ref DC13. Save DC Charisma-based. [COLOR=green][SIZE=5][B]Design Notes[/B][/SIZE] This is an alternative Homebrew version I whipped up while we were converting this monster for the Creature Catalog, in which it’s indexed as the “Deep Dweller”. That version is a less formidable than this one. The Deep-Dwelling Octopus first appeared, under that name, in the [I]Dragon Magazine #190[/I] article “Deep Beneath the Waves” by Bryan K. Bernstein. Unlike most octopodes, the deep-dwelling octopus has no chameleon ability. There’s no point it changing its colour to hide in the abyssal depths where there’s no light to see the colours! Presumably this ability evolved to become its bioluminescence, which is actually useful to the creature. An earlier conversion had Level Adjustments of +3/+5/+6 for standard/big/giant varieties, but I realized that was too low for a creature with both Reach and the ability to wield up to six weapons simultaneously without penalty so increased that by another +2 to +5/+6/+7 which by a pleasant coincidence also gave the standard creature an ECL or 8. However, at CR 2 that seemed too high so I decided to simply cut the Gordian knot and ignore the problem by giving them LA — so they can't become Player Characters which also had the happy effect of making it easier to resist the temptation to stat them up as a [I]Savage Species[/I]-style Monster Class. Besides, it'd have to be a pretty strange campaign to include Deep-Dwelling Octopus PCs since these monsters only live around abyssal hydrothermal vents.[/COLOR] [COLOR=red][B]Build Notes[/B][/COLOR] [SIZE=3][COLOR=red]Added Climb speed, changed from "Deepwater Octopus" to "Deep-Dwelling Octopus". [B]Deep-Dwelling Octopus Skill Points:[/B] Escape Artist 0, Hide 2, Listen 2, Move Silently 2, Spot 0, Swim 0 (6SP) [B]Big Deep-Dwelling Octopus Skill Points:[/B] Escape Artist 0, Hide 2, Listen 3, Move Silently 2, Spot 1, Swim 0 (8SP) [B]Giant Deep-Dwelling Octopus Skill Points:[/B] Escape Artist 0, Hide 4, Listen 3, Move Silently 2, Spot 1, Swim 0 (10SP)[/COLOR][/SIZE] [/QUOTE]
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