Blacksway
Rock Monkey
This was my entry for the Critter contest a few weeks ago. I've reworded some of it and tidyed it up a bit but just wanted to see if there where any other comments before uploading it to the Homebrew Site (isn't the homebrew site brilliant 
)
Chamelosaur
The Chamelosaur is often believed to be a close relative of the dragon, specifically the green or blue dragon. The truth is that it may be descended from the same genetic pool but has developed over the last millennia to be a distinct, but rare variety of reptile all of its own. It has a large row of horns or spikes leading from the front of its face, down the spine of its back all the way to the end of its tail. Its mouth is filled with an array of small sharp teeth. Its powerful legs allow it to move easily through forests and across flat terrain and it can reach speeds of up to 60ft.
Found most often in either dense jungle or marshes its oily hide has a small amount of colour variation that allows it to adapt to various shades of blue and green meaning it can be hard to spot in such regions. While often found near water it is rarely seem in water as it is incredibly clumsy in water and its attempt at doggy-paddle almost pitiful - just don't stand around laughing too long lest it get out.
Another strange ability that also encourages confusion with dragons is what people often assume is its breath weapon. In fact it is simply a strange sonic effect that the Chamelosaur produces from deep within its throat, creating a wave of almost pure white noise able to completely deafen unfortunate attackers. It uses the noise to deter would be attackers before combat actually starts, although its use in combat itself is not uncommon, especially if its mate is nearby.
The Chamelosaur is a solitary creature except when it is time to mate (about once every 5-10 years), when the male's poison spine's excretion levels increase and the poison takes on a strange pungent smell that travels far, attracting a mate. The male and female will live together for over a year, before giving birth to a single young who will be expected to fend for himself almost immediately (the parents will have made sure the surrounding area contains no formidable creatures over the passing year). Due to the strong nature of the pungent smell that the poison spine creates during mating and the distance the smell travels there is no way to discern the location of the Chamelosaur from the smell; however you cannot miss the smell itself.
Adventure Seeds
Its mating time and the pungent smell emanating from the nearby forest warns a local township that at least one Chamelosaur is nearby. The news travels faster than the smell itself and they realise it wont be long before they have a mating pair on their hands, set of clearing the region of all competition before the birth of their offspring.
While the poison from the Chamelosaur has a devastating effect on muscles if left untreated, if the creature is captured and its poison harvested it can be used as a powerful component of strong medicines that relieve the suffering of many people. It can also make a few very rich people a lot stronger and allow them to live longer. You've been hired by one of these parties to hunt and capture a live specimen.
Chamelosaur
Large Beast
Hit Dice: 6d10+20 (63hp)
Initiative: +1 (+1 Dex)
Speed: 60ft, Swim 20ft
AC: 18 (-1 Size, +1 Dex, +8 Natural)
Attacks: Bite +9 melee, 2 Claws +4 or Slam +9 melee
Damage: Bite 1d8+6, 2 Claws 1d6+3, Slam 1d4+6 + poison
Face: 5 ft by 15 ft / 5 ft reach
Special Attacks: Sonic Roar, Reflex Swipe
Special Qualities: Chameleon Skin, Poison Spine
Saves: Fort: +10 Ref: +6 Will: +1
Abilities: Str: 22 Dex: 12 Con: 21 Wis: 8 Int: 2 Cha: 5
Skills: Jump +9, Hide +5 (+11* when in forest or near water), Move Silently +2
Feats: None
Climate: Temperate or Warm, Forest or Marsh
Organisation: Solitary or Pair (mates)
CR: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: CN
Advancement: 6-8HD (Large), 9-16HD (Huge)
Combat
Not being too intelligent but going off animal instincts the Chamelosaur can be a vicious, brutal but otherwise stupid enemy. Only usually attacking if attacked it will use its Sonic Roar to try and frighten off anyone who approaches it in a menacing fashion. It will often underestimate the potential of small bands of adventurers unless it has previously fought such types and faired badly.
In actual combat it will charge the largest, strongest opponent it can get too, attempting to slam that opponent, which also places them in contact with the poison that slowly secretes from the horned tips of its scales. Once into melee with a foe it will bite and claw at a single opponent (usually the same one who received the slam) until they are destroyed, then move to the next strongest.
Any attempts to grapple with the Chamelosaur also expose you to the contact poison along its head, back and tail. If the Chamelosaur gets an AoO against an opponent it can make a touch attack which if successful deals no damage but forces a Fort save against its poison.
Sonic Roar (Ex): The Chamelosaur can emit a large roar that travels as a sonic boom of almost pure white noise. Within 30ft a saving throw (Fort, DC 19) must be made or be deafened as per a thunderstone. Within 60ft (including within 30ft) no other sound can be heard above the noise, all listen checks automatically fail and any spell with a verbal component has a 40% chance of being miss-cast. The Sonic Roar is a standard action.
Reflex Swipe (Ex): If the Chamelosaur receives the chance to take an attack of opportunity against an opponent it may instead elect to make a touch attack (effectively using its tail, head and body to try to touch to opponent) which if successful will force the opponent to make a Fort save against its poison spine (see Poison Spine for DC and effects). In all other ways this is seen as the attack of opportunity for the creature, counting against its limit for the round.
Chameleon Skin (Ex): The skin of the Chamelosaur is inhumed with a special pigment that can change colour depending on its natural surroundings within the blue and green colour ranges. This gives it a +6 bonus to hide checks when in a predominantly green or blue area, most often a forest or near water.
Poison Spine (Ex): The spine of the Chamelosaur, or rather the series of external bones that runs from the top of its head all the way down its back to its tail secrete a small amount of a poison. If slammed by the Chamelosaur, caught by one of its Reflex Swipes or attempting to grapple the beast brings you into contact within the poison. This is a contact poison that seeps through the skin, destroying the muscle tissue as it goes. If left untreated it gets into the blood stream and can begin to effect the functioning of the heart muscles. DC 18, Initial -2 Con, Secondary -4 Con (Initial becomes permanent).
)Chamelosaur
The Chamelosaur is often believed to be a close relative of the dragon, specifically the green or blue dragon. The truth is that it may be descended from the same genetic pool but has developed over the last millennia to be a distinct, but rare variety of reptile all of its own. It has a large row of horns or spikes leading from the front of its face, down the spine of its back all the way to the end of its tail. Its mouth is filled with an array of small sharp teeth. Its powerful legs allow it to move easily through forests and across flat terrain and it can reach speeds of up to 60ft.
Found most often in either dense jungle or marshes its oily hide has a small amount of colour variation that allows it to adapt to various shades of blue and green meaning it can be hard to spot in such regions. While often found near water it is rarely seem in water as it is incredibly clumsy in water and its attempt at doggy-paddle almost pitiful - just don't stand around laughing too long lest it get out.
Another strange ability that also encourages confusion with dragons is what people often assume is its breath weapon. In fact it is simply a strange sonic effect that the Chamelosaur produces from deep within its throat, creating a wave of almost pure white noise able to completely deafen unfortunate attackers. It uses the noise to deter would be attackers before combat actually starts, although its use in combat itself is not uncommon, especially if its mate is nearby.
The Chamelosaur is a solitary creature except when it is time to mate (about once every 5-10 years), when the male's poison spine's excretion levels increase and the poison takes on a strange pungent smell that travels far, attracting a mate. The male and female will live together for over a year, before giving birth to a single young who will be expected to fend for himself almost immediately (the parents will have made sure the surrounding area contains no formidable creatures over the passing year). Due to the strong nature of the pungent smell that the poison spine creates during mating and the distance the smell travels there is no way to discern the location of the Chamelosaur from the smell; however you cannot miss the smell itself.
Adventure Seeds
Its mating time and the pungent smell emanating from the nearby forest warns a local township that at least one Chamelosaur is nearby. The news travels faster than the smell itself and they realise it wont be long before they have a mating pair on their hands, set of clearing the region of all competition before the birth of their offspring.
While the poison from the Chamelosaur has a devastating effect on muscles if left untreated, if the creature is captured and its poison harvested it can be used as a powerful component of strong medicines that relieve the suffering of many people. It can also make a few very rich people a lot stronger and allow them to live longer. You've been hired by one of these parties to hunt and capture a live specimen.
Chamelosaur
Large Beast
Hit Dice: 6d10+20 (63hp)
Initiative: +1 (+1 Dex)
Speed: 60ft, Swim 20ft
AC: 18 (-1 Size, +1 Dex, +8 Natural)
Attacks: Bite +9 melee, 2 Claws +4 or Slam +9 melee
Damage: Bite 1d8+6, 2 Claws 1d6+3, Slam 1d4+6 + poison
Face: 5 ft by 15 ft / 5 ft reach
Special Attacks: Sonic Roar, Reflex Swipe
Special Qualities: Chameleon Skin, Poison Spine
Saves: Fort: +10 Ref: +6 Will: +1
Abilities: Str: 22 Dex: 12 Con: 21 Wis: 8 Int: 2 Cha: 5
Skills: Jump +9, Hide +5 (+11* when in forest or near water), Move Silently +2
Feats: None
Climate: Temperate or Warm, Forest or Marsh
Organisation: Solitary or Pair (mates)
CR: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: CN
Advancement: 6-8HD (Large), 9-16HD (Huge)
Combat
Not being too intelligent but going off animal instincts the Chamelosaur can be a vicious, brutal but otherwise stupid enemy. Only usually attacking if attacked it will use its Sonic Roar to try and frighten off anyone who approaches it in a menacing fashion. It will often underestimate the potential of small bands of adventurers unless it has previously fought such types and faired badly.
In actual combat it will charge the largest, strongest opponent it can get too, attempting to slam that opponent, which also places them in contact with the poison that slowly secretes from the horned tips of its scales. Once into melee with a foe it will bite and claw at a single opponent (usually the same one who received the slam) until they are destroyed, then move to the next strongest.
Any attempts to grapple with the Chamelosaur also expose you to the contact poison along its head, back and tail. If the Chamelosaur gets an AoO against an opponent it can make a touch attack which if successful deals no damage but forces a Fort save against its poison.
Sonic Roar (Ex): The Chamelosaur can emit a large roar that travels as a sonic boom of almost pure white noise. Within 30ft a saving throw (Fort, DC 19) must be made or be deafened as per a thunderstone. Within 60ft (including within 30ft) no other sound can be heard above the noise, all listen checks automatically fail and any spell with a verbal component has a 40% chance of being miss-cast. The Sonic Roar is a standard action.
Reflex Swipe (Ex): If the Chamelosaur receives the chance to take an attack of opportunity against an opponent it may instead elect to make a touch attack (effectively using its tail, head and body to try to touch to opponent) which if successful will force the opponent to make a Fort save against its poison spine (see Poison Spine for DC and effects). In all other ways this is seen as the attack of opportunity for the creature, counting against its limit for the round.
Chameleon Skin (Ex): The skin of the Chamelosaur is inhumed with a special pigment that can change colour depending on its natural surroundings within the blue and green colour ranges. This gives it a +6 bonus to hide checks when in a predominantly green or blue area, most often a forest or near water.
Poison Spine (Ex): The spine of the Chamelosaur, or rather the series of external bones that runs from the top of its head all the way down its back to its tail secrete a small amount of a poison. If slammed by the Chamelosaur, caught by one of its Reflex Swipes or attempting to grapple the beast brings you into contact within the poison. This is a contact poison that seeps through the skin, destroying the muscle tissue as it goes. If left untreated it gets into the blood stream and can begin to effect the functioning of the heart muscles. DC 18, Initial -2 Con, Secondary -4 Con (Initial becomes permanent).
