Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales

[Cleon]

How about the rumtifusel (or rumpifusel)?

Well, it's not very high on my list, "fur coat that strangles those who put it on" is about all you need to know about that beastie, I see it more of a living trap / environmental hazard like green slime.

That means a rumtifusel is even more of a one-trick pony than most Lumberjack Critters, although at least they're a threat, unlike something like a fur-bearing trout which I see having little role in a campaign except a curiosity that may become a background detail or adventure seed: Bring home a live fur-bearing trout for the Queen!, catch a bunch of them to start a trout farm to make cheap fur etc.

Hmm, that's an idea. A rumtifusel farm would be a real easy way to make cheap fur coats, just skin them when they're the size you want. You don't even need to make any tailoring roles. Of course, you'd need to feed them on something other than people and make pretty sure they're dead... unless it's part of an evil scheme, a necromancer uses preservation magic to sell hundreds of exquisite fur coats to the army at a ridiculously cheap price, but they're really zombie rumtifusels, ready to wipe out the country's defense force on command when the Northern invasion starts!

How about a similar monster, where the "fur coat" is an dangerous symbiote that turned its wearer into a savage monster if worn too long, a pretty obvious spin on those shapeshifting legends of people turning into savage beasts by wearing their skins.

EDIT: Looks like I'm talking myself into giving it a shot.

EDITED EDIT: Now I'm well on my way through statting up the Rumtifusil. Might even be finished today.

RE-EDITED EDITED EDIT: Here's ya go, the Rumtifusil. That must be the fastest I've ever written up a beastie for 3rd edition.

 

[Cleon]

Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Rumtifusil

Rumtifusil (CR 2)
A rumtifusil is a flat, thin-bodied creature that has a nigh perfect resemblance to a high-quality, hooded fur coat. It even includes imitations of stitching, pockets and wooden buttons or toggles. Rumtifusils live in Cold forests, where they spend most of their lives hanging from low tree branches waiting for prey to wander by. Their favourite prey are folk looking for a nice new fur coat. Anyone foolish enough to put on a rumtifusil will find its hood whips over their face while the whole "fur coat" contracts in a lethal embrace. A rumtifusil is cold-blooded and expends very little energy, so can easily go for years between meals.

It requires a DC30 Search check to notice that a stationary rumtifusil is not the fur coat it appears to be. They are immune to pain effects, so pinching or cutting a rumtifusil does not force it to reveal its nature, although closely examining the cut edge of a rumtifusil gives a +10 circumstance bonus on realizing it's a living creature. The most reliable means of exposing one is holding a flame close to it, since a rumtifusil will instinctively flinch away from the threat of fire. The flame need not actually burn the rumtifusil, so a careful explorer can test any fur coat they find without damaging it. These creatures will also flinch away from any chemical or energy attack, such as Acid or Electricity. It has Cold Resistance 30, so only responds to particularly intense cold attacks. Rumtifusils have an exquisite sense of taste, so will recoil from anything they find distasteful such as pepper or strong vinegar.

There is great debate amongst sages as to whether the rumtifusil is an animal, a vegetable or a fungus. In fact, these curious creatures are all three, being a predatory colonial lifeform that combines all the Kingdoms of life, like a cross between a Portuguese man of war, a lichen and a slime-mold.

A rumtifusil is a Medium Magical Beast with 5 Hit Dice (37 hp), AC10 and Saves of +6 Fort -1 Ref and -4 Will. Their ability scores are Strength 1, Dexterity 1, Constitution 15, Intelligence –, Wisdom 10, Charisma 1. Rumtifusils possess all the immunities of the Plant and Ooze types (e.g. mind-affecting effects, sight-attacks, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and critical hits) except for poison, to which they are vulnerable. In addition, a rumtifusil can get all the water it needs from the atmosphere, so is immune to most forms of thirst, although it still needs to breathe and eat. They are also immune to any power that only affects one of the lifeforms they are comprised of, so calm animals, plant growth spells etc have no effect. Being mindless, they have no skill points.

These creatures can only creep slowly around (Speed 5, climb 5), so they have no hope of catching victims except by ambush or trickery. A rumtifusil is eyeless and completely blind, but can sense opportunities or danger with the scent special quality and blindsight 10 ft. Upon scenting humanoids a rumtifusil stays perfectly motionless, even when being handled, in the hope whoever found it will try to wear them so it can start a Smother attack. They can also drop upon creatures who pass below them in an effort to wrap them in their folds, but usually only use this attack to ensnare animals.

A live (or Undead) rumtifusil keeps its wearer warm like a masterwork cold weather outfit, although this is unlikely to be much comfort to its victim.

A rumtifusil needs to make an attack roll (it has a +0 Attack bonus) to successfully Drop upon a victim, the victim and anyone else able to react that round is then entitled to a grapple check to throw the rumtifusil off before it can Attach itself by driving thousands of microscopic tendrils through the victim's clothes and skin. A rumtifusil will automatically succeed in Attaching itself if the victim willingly puts it on. An Attached rumtifusil is impossible to remove by force, at best this will only tear off a small portion of the creature together with the unfortunate victim's skin, the rumtifusil quickly flows over the resulting hole.

A rumtifusil can be frozen or burned away with any kind of energy attack, but this deals damage to the victim as well. The best means of killing an attached rumtifusil without harming its victim are single-target spells such as magic-missile. There is a simple means of removing a rumtifusil, though it's known to only a few. Simply soaking the victim in a fluid the rumtifusil finds unpleasant-tasting, such as vinegar, pepper-water and chili-sauce, will cause the monster to release its victim in disgust. This is one reason some experienced Northern adventurers are notorious for the overwhelming stench of their cologne.

A dead rumtifusil falls to pieces in a matter of minutes, so can be easily torn off its victim without causing further damage. The hair-fine tendrils it Attached itself with break off in the victim's skin, but dissolve harmlessly without ever causing infections or allergic reactions – rumtifusil flesh does not trigger immune responses in Humanoids, so would have many uses in medicine.

The victim of an Attached rumtifusil takes no immediate damage, but is unable to draw or hold their breath, so must start to make Constitution checks or suffocate. Cutting airholes in the rumtifusil does not prevent this Smother attack, since a rumtifusil tightens around the victim so much they cannot expand their lungs. For obvious reasons, a rumtifusil can not Attach to and Smother an opponent larger than its own size.

Once a rumtifusil kills a victim, its tendrils grow and multiply to digest its prey until there is nothing left but hollow bones. A rumtifusil does not keep much of the water content of its victim, exhaling it from the innumerable pores on its skin, so only gains about a pound of weight for every five pounds of flesh it eats.

Rumtifusils reproduce by budding when their weight increases to a critical point - this usually occurs after one's eaten some forty or fifty pounds of flesh. The monster splits into two identical 5HD rumtifusils, one inside the other. After reproducing, each rumtifusil wanders off by itself, they are completely asocial creatures.

Lore Checks
DC 12 - If yer goin' throughs da woods and finds a lovely new fur coat 'angin' from a tree wit nobbody abouts to claims it, best not put it on, for it could bes a rumtifusil. Dese be varmints dat looks loik da spittin' image of a fur coat, who waits fur some fool tourist to put 'em on den strangles and eats dem.
DC 17 - If a rumtifusil wraps itsel' around ye, yer only hope is to burn it off. Ye couldn't pull one off somebody without ripping off their entire hide. They don't always wait for someone to put them on, if a person or critter walks underneath them they may drop onto their backs and try to enwrap them. Rumtifusils grow when they eat; first they become nice thick fur coats, then double-layered fur coats, until finally they split into two new coats. If ye come across a dried-out skeleton wearing three or four fine fur coats one inside the other, they are rumtifusils sure as eggs is eggs.
DC 22 - You like my perfume, do ye? Let me tells ye a secret of the lumberman's craft. This is Eau de Tabasca, made from finest red-hot chilis. If I'm going about my business in the woods and a rumtifusil drops on me, the critter will spit me out cause it don't like the taste. Works for other varmints that might want to eat a fellow, too. Course it may tickle a mite when I get cut, but that does'n bother a hardy fellow like me!

Rumtifusil Stat Block
A Rumtifusil doesn't require a full mechanical write-up, so here's a compact statblock containing all its relevant information:

Rumtifusil (Medium Magical Beast; Hit Dice: 5d10+10(37hp); Init: -5; Speed: 5 ft., climb 5 ft; AC: 10 (-5 Dex, +5 natural) touch 5, flat-footed 10; Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+0; Attacks: Drop +0 melee (attach); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Attach, smother, Special Qualities: Blindsight 10 ft, cold resistance 30, composite lifeform [immune to powers that only affect one component of the rumtifusil], immunities (mind-affecting effects, sight-attacks, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and critical hits), mimic fur coat, scent; Saves: Fort +6, Ref -1, Will -4; Abilities: Str 1, Dex 1, Con 15, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 1; Skills: Climb +3, Disguise -5 [+20 to imitate fur coat, always takes 10]; Environment: Cold forests; Organization: Solitary or spawning (2-4); Alignment: Always neutral; CR: 2)

 

[Cleon]

Well I've been busy with work and holiday festivities since boxing day, so it's been a while since I've posted a Lumberjack monster, but I've got quite a few ideas for critters boiling away. I'm working on a nest of lumberjack serpents at the moment, so here's a couple to keep you going - the hoop snake and its charming cousin the bangle snake.

Oh, and yes I did add the giant version of the bangle snake just so I could make corny references to a certain fast food business in the description.

 

[Cleon]

Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Hoop Snake

Hoop Snake
Medium Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 3d10+3 (19 hp)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)[30-120 ft. with rolling speed], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+5 Dex, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6
Attack: Tail-horn +9 melee (1d8+3/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) or bite +8 melee (1d4+3 plus poison)
Full Attack: Tail-horn +9 melee (1d8+3/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) and bite +3 melee (1d4+1 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.
Special Attacks: Impale, tail-blast, poison
Special Qualities: low-light vision, rolling speed, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +2
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Balance +13, Bluff -4[+2 imitate whistling], Climb +13, Hide +12, Listen +7, Spot +12, Swim +11
Feats: Alertness, Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (tail-horn)
Environment: Temperate plains and hills
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Medium), 7-12 (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

A lurid red-brown snake maybe twice the length of a man, distinguished by a six-inch horn on the tip of its tail. The reptile is thick-bodied, with a big head, and moves with lightning speed.

An average sized hoop snake is some ten feet long outstretched, or about a yard in diameter when coiled in a hoop. It weighs some sixty pounds, which is bulky for a snake of its length. The largest specimens may reach twice this length or more.

A hoop snake is an aggressive reptile with a peculiar mode of locomotion and impressive weaponry on either end of its body. Its bite are powerful and loaded with venom, but more terrible is the horn upon its tail-tip, which strikes like a poisonous thunderbolt, causing its victims to be paralyzed, turn black and curl up and die. Unlike regular snakes they have slicing teeth along their jaws, which allows these reptiles to bite mouthfuls off prey too large to swallow.

When it wants to travel at speed, a hoop-snake grasps its tail horn in its jaws and uses undulations of its muscular body to roll along the ground like a child's toy hoop. Travelling in this fashion, a hoop snake can outrun a man riding a horse across flat ground, and can move even faster rolling downhill. No unaugmented human can hope to outrun a hoop snake on foot across open ground. A person fleeing a hoop snake can easily escape if there's a fence nearby, since the snake cannot roll through such barriers, but must stop to slither through. Hoop snakes always roll with their tail facing forwards, so they can uncurl their bodies and hurl themselves at prey like venomous javelins, they roll along on their backs rather than their bellies, since this give them a better view of the ground ahead than if they were rolling with their head looking in towards their underside.

Some hoop snakes have the curious habit of whistling to lure prey and attract mates. These calls sound eerily human, like wolf whistles or short tunes of up to half a dozen notes.

Hoop snakes have keen eyesight, and hunt as much by sight as scent. Their preferred strategy for catching prey is to find a sunny, elevated spot - a shallow hill surrounded by prairie is ideal from which they can scan around for prey. Once spotted, they can roll down the slope to pursue their prey at tremendous speed - up to 600 feet per round.

The flesh of hoop snakes is perfectly edible, indeed it's quite tasty and nourishing. Since it's a rare and dangerous animal, they're considered a delicacy. The most famous recipe is a fricassee of hoop snake and rooster first presented to their Highness [insert campaign appropriate monarch here], apparently he was coq-a-hoop about it.

Combat
A hoop snake rolls towards the tastiest looking target and uncoils itself in a tail-horn charge attack. Remember the +2 attack and -2 AC for a charge. If the prey does not fall immediately, or it defended by allies, the snake lashes about with its tail-horn and bite in a bid to finish the fight.

Hoop snakes are pugnacious but not suicidal. If they take more than half their hit points in damage, they will seek to flee. Hoop snakes often flee like regular snakes rather than rolling. Usually, this is because they're fleeing upslope back towards the safety of their burrows, and they can travel uphill no faster in a hoop. Another factor is it's difficult for a hoop snake to hide whilst rolling, and like most snakes they have a strong instinct to conceal themselves when they're defensive.

Impale (Ex)
A hoop snake that hits any target using its tail horn in a charge attack does double damage (2d8+6/18-20×2 plus tail-blast, triple damage on a critical as per standard rules) but runs the risk of its tail-horn getting stuck in the target. Roll a Strength check for the hoop snake, if the result is fails to beat the hit points of damage the tail-horn inflicted it has become stuck. A hoop snake may consciously elect to impale its foe with its tail-horn by making a successful grapple test.

A hoop snake may discharge Tail-Blasts through its tail-horn into an impaled as a standard action, but fights as if it were in a grapple.

To extract the tail-horn from an impalement the hoop snake, or another creature, needs to succeed in a Strength check against a DC of 15 plus the hardness of the object the tail-horn is impaled in. If the attempt to remove the tail-horn is being opposed by another creature, e.g. an impaled victim is trying to pull out the tail-horn but the hoop snake is resisting this, a successful grapple check must also be made. It is quite possible for the hoop snake to become impaled in such a tough material it cannot tug its tail-horn free. If this happens, the hoop snake will shed the horny sheath of its tail (this takes 1d4 minutes, so is not something that normally occurs during combat). A hoop snake without a tail-horn can still fight with its exposed tail-spike, but this only does 1d6+3/19-20×2 damage and cannot channel its Tail-Blast. A hoop snake can regrow a shed tail-horn in two days.

Poison (Ex)
A hoop snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d4 Str if the victim fails a DC 12 Fortitudesave. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Rolling Speed (Ex)
A hoop snake can curl itself into a loop and roll along as a full-round movement action, which can include a charge attack with its tail-horn. Rolling doubles the hoop snake's land speed to 60 ft., and permits it to make a run action at five times its normal speed, as if it possessed the Run feat. Furthermore, a hoop-snake's speed is doubled yet again (i.e. quadrupled) rolling downhill. A hoop snake's rolling speed is halved going uphill and it cannot apply its Run bonus. Since this is no better than its regular land speed, it rarely rolls uphill.

Tail-Blast (Su)
A hoop snake's Tail-Blast is a deadly energy discharge, similar to the electrical shock of an electric eel or catfish. A hoop snake can elect to release a tail blast whenever it hits with its tail horn attack, but does not have to. Anything struck by the tail-horn must make a Fortitude save against DC14 or take 1d6 hit points of force damage per Hit Dice of the Hoop Snake (3d6), plus be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. If they succeed in the save, they take half damage and are merely stunned for a round. The tail-blast damage is in addition to the damage from the tail-horn attack that delivered it. The Save DC is Strength-based.

[There are differing accounts of a hoop snake's tail attack. Some sources compare the effects to being struck by lightning, others descriptions are closer to a rapid acting venom, a few have features of both. If you prefer those, you could change this tail-horn special attack to:

Tail-Venom (Ex)
A hoop snake injects anything struck with its tail-horn with a highly potent venom. This poison deals initial and secondary damage of 1d8 Con if the victim fails a DC 16 Fortitude save. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.

If you're really sadistic, the tail horn combines a force damage Tail-Blast and a poison damage Tail-Sting. That's probably closer to the more exaggerated accounts of the varmint's poison, but would merit a Challenge Rating hike. It would certainly account for this monster's fearsome reputation!

Venomous Tail-Blast (Su)
A hoop snake's tail horn can inflict a lethal combination of energy-discharge and venom. The object struck by the tail-horn must make a DC 16 Fortitude save or take 1d6 Con damage, plus 1d4 hit points of force damage per Hit Dice of the hoop snake plus be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. If they succeed in the initial save, they take half force damage, no Con damage and are merely stunned for a round. One minute after the initial tail hit the target must make a secondary Fortitude save against the same DC or suffer another 1d6 Con damage. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.]

Skills
Hoop snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Listen checks, a +6 racial bonus on Bluff checks made to imitate a human or animal whistling and Spot checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A hoop snake can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Hoop snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher. A hoop snake 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. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Lore Checks
DC 14 - Everyone knows wat a 'oop snake be. It be a big reddy-browny snake wit a sting in its tail, dat curls itself up in a ring so's to roll along like a wagon wheel. Dey can roll fasser dan a horse, you knows. Soon as dey catches up wit yer, dey unwinds demselves any runs you through wit der tail-spike, wit is deadly poison dat could strike an ox dead on da spot.
DC 19 - Don't try to outrun a hoop snake, son. They can roll faster than a thoroughbred. Your best hop is to hop over a fence or jump behind a tree. The snake must stop rolling to slither through a fence, giving you time to show it your heels. If you duck behind a tree at the right time, the hoop snake will skewer the tree with its tail-horn, not you. If you're lucky, the snake'll have struck so hard its tail will have got stuck in the tree, giving you a chance to finish it off or go to fetch help.
DC 24 - Did you know hoop snakes can whistle? If you're walking along and hear something up on the hill whistling, it might not be a person pursing their lips, but a hoop snake trying to tempt you to come closer to see what's making the noise. Or maybe they like to whistle at lady snakes, like some foolish young'uns do these days.

Advanced Hoop Snakes
Here are compact stat blocks for a regular hoop snake, one advanced to Large size and one at advanced to maximum Hit Dice.

Hoop Snake (Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 3d10+3 (19hp); Init: +9; Speed: 30 ft. (4 squares)[30-120 ft. with rolling speed], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 18(+5 Dex, +3 natural) touch 15, flat-footed 13; Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6; Attack: Tail-horn +9 melee (1d8+3/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) or bite +8 melee (1d4+3 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail-horn +9 melee (1d8+3/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) and bite +3 melee (1d4+1 plus poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Impale [tail 1d6+3/19-20×2 without horn], tail-blast [DC 14 Fort else 3d6 force plus 1d4 rounds paralysis, half damage and 1 round stun on save*], poison [bite, DC12 or 1d4/1d4 Str]; Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +2; Abilities: Str 17, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Bluff -4[+2 imitate whistling], Climb +13, Hide +12, Listen +7, Spot +12, Swim +11; Feats: Alertness, Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (tail-horn); CR: 4)
*Alternatives to tail-blast:
tail-sting [Poison, DC 16 Fort or 1d8/1d8 Con]
venomous tail-blast [poison and force, DC 16 Fort or 3d4 force damage, 1d4 rounds paralysis plus 1d6/1d6 Con damage poison, half force damage and 1 round stun on save](increase CR to 5)

Large Hoop Snake (Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 7d10+21 (59hp); Init: +9; Speed: 30 ft. (4 squares)[30-120 ft. with rolling speed], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 19(-1 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural) touch 14, flat-footed 14; Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+18; Attack: Tail-horn +14 melee (2d6+7/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) or bite +13 melee (1d6+7 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail-horn +14 melee (2d6+7/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) and bite +8 melee (1d6+3 plus poison); Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Impale[tail 1d8+7/19-20×2 without horn], tail-blast [DC 22 Fort else 7d6 force plus 1d4 rounds paralysis, half damage and 1 round stun on save*], poison [bite, DC16 or 1d6/1d6 Str]; Saves: Fort +8, Ref +10; Will +3; Abilities: Str 25, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Bluff -4[+2 imitate whistling], Climb +15, Hide +12, Listen +7, Spot +12, Swim +15; Feats: Ability Focus (tail-blast); Alertness, Improved InitiativeB, Weapon Focus (tail-horn); CR: 7)
*Alternatives to tail-blast:
tail-sting [Poison, DC 22 Fort or 1d10/1d10 Con]
venomous tail-blast [poison and force, DC 22 Fort or 7d4 force damage, 1d4 rounds paralysis plus 1d10/1d10 Con damage poison, half force damage and 1 round stun on save] (increase CR to 8)

Maximized Hoop Snake (Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 12d10+48 (114hp); Init: +9; Speed: 30 ft. (4 squares)[30-120 ft. with rolling speed], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 19(-1 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural) touch 14, flat-footed 14; Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+24; Attack: Tail-horn +20 melee (2d6+8/15-20×2 plus tail-blast) or bite +19 melee (1d6+8 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail-horn +20 melee (2d6+8/15-20×2 plus tail-blast) and bite +14 melee (1d6+4 plus poison); Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Impale [tail 1d8+8/17-20×2 without horn], tail-blast [DC 24 Fort else 12d6 force plus 1d4 rounds paralysis, half damage and 1 round stun on save*], poison [bite, DC19 or 1d6/1d6 Str]; Saves: Fort +12, Ref +13; Will +7; Abilities: Str 26, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Bluff -4[+2 imitate whistling], Climb +16, Hide +14, Listen +8, Spot +14, Swim +16; Feats: Ability Focus (tail-blast); Alertness, Improved Critical (tail-horn), Improved InitiativeB, Iron Will, Weapon Focus (tail-horn); CR: 9)
*Alternatives to tail-blast:
tail-sting [Poison, DC 25 Fort or 1d10/1d10 Con]
venomous tail-blast [poison and force, DC 25 Fort or 10d4 force damage, 1d4 rounds paralysis plus 1d10/1d10 Con damage poison, half force damage and 1 round stun on save] (increase CR to 10)

 

[Cleon]

Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Bangle Snake

Hypnotic Hoop Snake (Bangle Snake)
Tiny Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (13 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[15-60 ft. with rolling speed], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.
Armor Class: 21 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +5 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-2 [+10 with circle snare]
Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d2 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (1d2 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.;
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d4, circle snare, hypnotic temptation, poison
Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [DC 24], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 15
Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Concentration +10, Hide +18, Listen +9, Spot +7, Swim +8
Feats: Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Temperate plains and hills
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Small), 5-8 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

The colour and pattern of this fat-bodied snake is constantly changing. Its eyes gleam like gems as they shift from sapphire to ruby via emerald green, while the hue of its smooth scales switches between shining silver and gold to flat grey and dull yellow.

A hypnotic hoop snake is more commonly known as a bangle snake. Most of these creatures are small, a typical bangle snake is thirty inches long and weighs about a pound. They are excessively thick-bodied and heavy for a snake, without much tapering of the tail.

Bangle snakes have very fine-scales which are nevertheless extraordinarily tough, matching chain armour in protective quality. They can change the colour of their scales to perfectly match most metals known to man – gold, silver, electrum, steel, brass, et cetera – as well as a good range of bright, enamel-like hues (fire-bucket red, leaf green, turquoise etc) together with dull, inconspicuous colours such as ochre-brown or slate gray, for when they desire stealth. Their eyes can change to a good approximation of a gemstone, or be almost undetectable when the snake shuts its eyelids. A dead bangle snake swiftly loses any bright hue it may have assumed, reverting to a dull and nondescript appearance.

Bangle snakes can grab their tails in their mouths and roll along like a hoop snake or an amphisbaena, but they do not use this ability to pursue prey. Instead, they find a well-travelled spot and change their colour to resemble a piece of jewellery such as a silver armband or a golden neck-torc then just wait in plain view. Any passersby who sees the bangle snake will be struck with an uncanny impulse to try the "jewellery" on and turn it around to admire it. This urge affects any living creature with enough of a mind to understand it. Since most animals lack the means to pick a bangle snake up and put it on their body, the bangle snake will try to prop its ring-curled body up on a stick, bush or other convenient support to make it easier for passing beasts to slip their head or body through the snake. As soon as the snake thinks it's securely around its wearer it snaps shut like a snare and buries venomous fangs in their flesh. Their metal-hard scales allow them to rasp through their victim's flesh as they gyre closed.

These serpents are unnaturally powerful and resilient, and it takes a strong hand to prise one away from its victim. As some compensation, bangle snakes are amongst the most sluggish of serpents, since they rely on their hypnotic powers to lure prey they are slow moving and lack the startling reflexes of most snakes.

Hypnotic hula snakes do grow to larger sizes, popularly known as Hula snakes after the half-elf Ukulele Hula, the first person on record unfortunate enough to have a close encounter with such a specimen. Mr Hula spent the last few moments of his life twirling a three-foot diameter hypnotic hoop snake around his waist, laughing like an idiot.

These snakes have no other noteworthy habits known to sages. A few alchemists and savants will pay for live specimens to try to discover a means of preserving their skin's colour-changing powers, in the hope of marketing bangleskin clothes or jewellery, so far without success. At the moment, the only way to safely turn a bangle snake into colour-changing jewellery is to wear a live one that's somehow been rendered harmless - i.e. used a familiar, paralyzed, magically dominated, drugged insensate and so forth. The risks of this are evident.

Bangle snakes breed in the conventional serpentine fashion, after which the females lay a dozen or so shiny blue-black eggs in a warm, sandy spot which they then abandon.

Combat
A Bangle snake uses Hypnotic Temptation to try to compel a victim to wear it, then snaps close with Circle Snare, followed by repeated uses of its Constrict attack and Poison bite.

If the prospective victim resists its hypnotic powers, the snake may try to grapple using a normal touch attack, benefiting from its Improved Grapple bonus feat. It will seldom attempt this against opponents bigger than itself.

If a bangle snake fails to get a Circle Snare after one or two attempts, or its victim manages to pry it off afterwards, the creature will usually just give up and roll away. They are smart enough to know they have little change of snaring an opponent who they can't hypnotize into cooperating.

Circle Snare (Ex)
A bangle snake can lock its body around an opponent it has a grappling hold on as a move action. This gives it a +12 competence bonus on its grappling checks against that opponent and against other being's attempts to break its hold. Normally, the snake uses its Hypnotic Temptation power to get a hold of an opponent, but it can start a grapple using a touch attack as per the standard rules.

A bangle snake that has a victim in its Circle Snare can make a bite attack and a Constrict attack against them every round. The snake can only attack the Circle Snared victim, if it wishes to bite any other opponent it must release its Circle Snare first, which it can do at any time as a free action.

Constrict (Ex)
On a successful grapple check, a hypnotic hoop snake deals 1d4 points of damage.

Hypnotic Temptation (Su)
The bangle snake selects one victim within a distance equal to a medium ranged spell (i.e. 100 ft plus 10 feet per hit dice). The victim must succeed at a Will save against DC 13 or act upon the compulsion to put the "bangle" on and turn it admiringly. This is similar to a suggestion spell, being a Enchantment (Compulsion) power, but it is not language dependent and the victim must be able to see the snake to be affected.

A bangle snake must be using Mimic Jewellery to use Hypnotic Temptation. Initiating and maintaining Hypnotic Temptation is a full-round action, the snake can take no other action without breaking the effect. The effects last as long as the bangle snake concentrates, and the victim is considered to be Fascinated (q.v.) until the enchantment is broken. If the target of Hypnotic Temptation manages to put the snake on, the bangle snake can automatically succeed at a grapple check to take hold of the target, and thereafter use its Circle Snare attack.

The save DC is Charisma-based.

Mimic Jewellery (Ex)
A bangle snake can imitate a loop of jewellery, by slightly change its shape and changing the colour and texture of its scales to match metal, enamel or plastic. Characters who examines the snake can detect the ruse with a successful Spot check. The DC of this spot check equals 20 plus the snake's Hit Dice plus its Charisma bonus, so an average bangle snake is DC 24 to spot.

It takes a full-round action for a bangle snake to assume its jewelled disguise, after which it can maintain it indefinitely. While mimicking jewellery a bangle snake can use its Rolling Speed and Hypnotic Temptation without breaking its masquerade.

A character with stonecunning can apply that bonus to their Spot checks to notice a camouflaged bangle snake. If they possess skill ranks in Appraise or Craft (jewellery) they can substitute that bonus for Spot in the check to notice the monster, plus they receive a +2 bonus to the Spot check from skill synergy if they possess 5 ranks in either Craft (jewellery) or Appraise, +4 for 5 ranks in both.

Poison (Ex)
A hypnotic hoop snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d3 Con if the victim fails a DC 12 Fortitudesave. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Reptilian Obstinacy (Ex)
Unlike a standard Magical Beast, a Bangle snake has good Will saves but only poor Reflex saves. It can add its Charisma bonus to its Will save instead of its Wisdom bonus, whichever is higher.

Rolling Speed (Ex)
A bangle snake can curl itself into a loop and roll along as a full-round movement action. Rolling doubles the bangle snake's land speed to 30 ft., and permits it to make a run action at five times its normal speed, as if it possessed the Run feat. Furthermore, a bangle snake's speed is doubled yet again (i.e. quadrupled to 60 ft) rolling downhill. The snake's rolling speed is halved going uphill and it cannot apply its Run bonus. Since this is no better than its regular land speed, it rarely rolls uphill.

Skills
Hypnotic hoop snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks, a +6 racial bonus on Hide and Listen checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Concentration checks. A snake can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher. A snake 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. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Lore Checks
DC 11 - I heard a local gal was walking through the bush one day and came upon a silver torc lying on the ground. So, she picked it up and tried it on, then the torc turned into a snake and throttled her! I asked around and a cunning-man told me this was a bangle snake. So if you find some jewellery just lying about, best make sure it's safe before putting it on!
DC 16 - Educated folk call the bangle snake a hypnotic hoop snake, because they can mesmerize people into putting them on. They can also curl themselves in a ring and roll about like a hoop snake. Bangle snakes have venomous fangs, but don't have a deadly tail-spike like a true hoop snake. They're not always the size of armbands or neck-rings, some of them grow big enough to whirl around your waist. I hear these are called Hula snakes, after some fellow who discovered them.
DC 21 - A bangle snake can only hypnotize one person at a time, and they've got to look at the ring-coiled serpent to be affected. They're pretty lazy, so if a hypnotic hoop snake can't hypnotize a victim into putting it on it'll usually just roll away rather than try to fight it out.

Nugget Snake
A nugget snake is either a very close relative of a bangle snake or a breed that has learned a specialized hunting strategy, their statistics are identical to bangle snakes.

Nugget snakes live in streams, where they bury themselves under the silt except for their heads. The snake then uses its Mimic Jewellery power to make its head appear to be a gold nugget, or one of its eyes a sparkling gemstone. This acts as a Hypnotic Temptation to any animals coming down to drink, plus passing fish and prospectors.

Advanced and Juvenile Bangle Snakes
The following stat-blocks cover bangle snakes of all size categories. Fine and Diminutive bangle snakes are included in the stat-blocks to represent juvenile animals, but such are highly unlikely to attack adventurers; their grapple checks are way too low for them to effectively Constrict most humanoids.

Fine Bangle Snake (Fine Magical Beast, Hit Dice: ½d10+1 (3hp); Init: +6; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[15-60 ft. with rolling speed], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 29(+8 size, +6 Dex, +5 natural), touch 24, flat-footed 23; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-12 [+0 with circle snare]; Full Attack: Bite +16 melee (1 plus poison); Space/Reach: ½ ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d2-1, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 12), poison (Fort DC 11 1/1 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [DC 22], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +4; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 23, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 15; Skills: Balance +14, Climb +14, Concentration +10, Hide +28, Listen +8, Spot +7, Swim +7; Feats: Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: ¼)

Diminutive Bangle Snake (Diminutive Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 1d10+1 (6hp); Init: +5; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[15-60 ft. with rolling speed], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 24(+4 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural), touch 19, flat-footed 19; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-8 [+4 with circle snare]; Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (1 plus poison); Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d3-1, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 12), poison (Fort DC 11 1d2/1d2 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [DC 23], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +4; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 15; Skills: Balance +13, Climb +13, Concentration +10, Hide +23, Listen +8, Spot +7, Swim +7; Feats: Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: ½)

Tiny Bangle Snake (Tiny Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (13hp); Init: +4; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[15-60 ft. with rolling speed], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 21(+2 size, +4 Dex, +5 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 17; Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-2 [+10 with circle snare]; Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d2 plus poison); Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d4, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 13), poison (Fort DC 12 1d3/1d3 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [DC 24], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5; Abilities: Str 11, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 15; Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Concentration +10, Hide +18, Listen +9, Spot +7, Swim +8; Feats: Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 1)

Small Bangle Snake (Hula Snake) (Small Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 3d10+3 (19hp); Init: +3; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[15-60 ft. with rolling speed], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 19(+1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural) touch 14, flat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5[+17 with circle snare]; Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d3+2 plus poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d6+3, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 15), poison (Fort DC 12 1d4/1d4 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [DC 25], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5; Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 15; Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Concentration +10; Hide +14, Listen +9, Spot +7, Swim +10; Feats: Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 2)

Medium Bangle Snake (Hula Snake) (Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (37hp); Init: +2; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[15-60 ft. with rolling speed], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 17(+2 Dex, +5 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 15; Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+13[+25 with circle snare]; Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d4+4 plus poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d8+6, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 17), poison (Fort DC 14 1d6/1d6 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [DC 28], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +7; Abilities: Str 19, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 16; Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Concentration +12, Hide +10, Listen +9, Spot +7, Swim +12; Feats: Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), Improved GrappleB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 3)

Maximized Bangle Snake (Hula Snake) (Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 8d10+24 (68hp); Init: +2; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[15-60 ft. with rolling speed], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 17(+2 Dex, +5 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 15; Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+16[+28 with circle snare]; Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d4+4 plus poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 2d6+6, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 19), poison (Fort DC 17 1d6/1d6 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [DC 31], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +9; Abilities: Str 19, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 16; Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Concentration +13, Hide +10, Listen +10, Spot +9, Swim +12; Feats: Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), Improved GrappleB, Improved Natural Attack (constrict), Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 4)

Giant Bangle Snakes (Golden Arch Snake)
The notorious bard Roland clanRonald has spread tales of encountering a pair of giant hula snakes big enough to crush a mastodon into mincemeat. While these serpents could roll around the landscape like living ferris wheels, they spend most of their time using the strength of their body to prop their body in a single giant loop above the ground. In this shape they appear as a golden gateway or triumphal arch, and mesmerize passing prey, mostly migrating mastodons, into walking into the snare of their arcing body. These snakes, so clanRonald claims, were worshipped by a local tribe of goblins, who'd wait until the snakes had finished eating and then scavenge the mastodon's carcass for meat, which they'd eat in patties placed between two flat pieces of bread or biscuit which allegedly could last a remarkably long time without deteriorating. clanRonald claims to have repeatedly tried to bring back proof of his tail back to civilization, including these mastodon-burgers, but was thwarted every time by having his evidence burgled away by a masterful goblin rogue who acted as some kind of tribal hero.

These snakes have the statistics of a regular bangle snakes advanced to Large or Huge size, as follows:

Advancement: 9-14 HD (Large), 15-20 HD (Huge)

Large Golden Arch Snake (Hula Snake) (Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 9d10+45 (85hp); Init: +1; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[15-60 ft. with rolling speed], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 17(-1 size, +1 Dex, +7 natural) touch 10, flat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+25[+37 with circle snare]; Full Attack: Bite +17 melee (1d6+8 plus poison); Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 3d6+12, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 19), poison (Fort DC 19 1d8/1d8 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [DC 32], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +9; Abilities: Str 27, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 16; Skills: Balance +9, Climb +16, Concentration +15, Hide +5, Listen +11, Spot +9, Swim +16; Feats: Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), Improved GrappleB, Improved Natural Attack (constrict), Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 5)

Huge Golden Arch Snake (Hula Snake) (Huge Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 15d10+105 (187hp); Init: +1; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[15-60 ft. with rolling speed], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 19(-2 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural) touch 9, flat-footed 18; Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+39[+51 with circle snare]; Full Attack: Bite +26 melee (2d6+12 plus poison); Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 4d6+18, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 22), poison (Fort DC 24 1d10/1d10 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [DC 38], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +12; Abilities: Str 35, Dex 12, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 16; Skills: Balance +9, Climb +20, Concentration +17, Hide +1, Listen +14, Spot +12, Swim +20; Feats: Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), Improved GrappleB, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved Natural Attack (constrict), Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 7)

Feat Progression: [1 HD] Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite), [3 HD] Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), [6 HD] Improved Natural Attack (constrict), [9 HD] Lightning Reflexes, [12 HD] Power Attack, [15 HD] Improved Natural Attack (bite), [18 HD] Iron Will

Ability Increases: [4 HD] +1 Cha, [8 HD] +1 Con, [12 HD] +1 Dex, [16 HD] +1 Cha, [20 HD] +1 Cha

 

[Cleon]

Oh blast, I forgot to include the DC to notice the bangle snake is actually a snake and not jewellery. I'll have to edit it in later, haven't got time now.

EDIT: OK, I fixed that and added a bit more explanation to the Hypnotic Temptation power. Also put in the Nugget Snake sub-species, which I'd written up but forgotten to include in the final draft.

EDITED EDIT: And the bangle snakes are also missing Space/Reach in the compact stat-blocks, had to fix that as well.

 

[freyar]

Wow, nice! And they look like you've done quite a bit of work on them, too.

 

[Cleon]

Wow, nice! And they look like you've done quite a bit of work on them, too.

Ta Freyar. Yes, I got carried away with the detail, again. That's the way I like my critters. Hopefully you'll see another serpent or three within the week.

 

[Melatuis]

Thank you very much!!!! I am going to use your Windigo in my conversion of "Wind Chill" from November/December 1999, Dungeon #77, in my ongoing game.

Thanks again!!

 

[Cleon]

Thank you very much!!!! I am going to use your Windigo in my conversion of "Wind Chill" from November/December 1999, Dungeon #77, in my ongoing game.

Thanks again!!

Be my guest! I'm glad to hear someone's getting some use out of my beasties.

Am I right in guessing you're using the Windigo Beast out of the three versiona? If I remember that Dungeon adventure correctly, it's for lowish levels (4th or 5th?), so the Windigo Giant would be rather overpowering.