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Cleon Specials – SRD Redux Monsters and Related Creatures
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<blockquote data-quote="Cleon" data-source="post: 7961937" data-attributes="member: 57383"><p><span style="font-size: 22px"><strong>Ink Variants</strong></span></p><p>Cephalopods can use ink to perform many other functions apart from the ink cloud ability of the standard octopus and squid, some of which are described below. Some cephalopods have multiple ink variants, species with both the Decoy-Deploying and Glow-Ink variants are not that uncommon.</p><p></p><p>These ink variants do not include behaviours that are not pertinent to combat, such as some mother octopuses' habit of inundating their eggs with ink, or are included in another stratagem, such as the "ink fill" trick often used by glass squid that is described in the Glass Cephalopod entry above.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Inkless Cephalopod</strong></span></p><p>Not every cephalopod is able to produce ink. In our world, the vampire squid (<em>Vampyroteuthis infernalis</em>) and all living species of nautilus (subclass Nautiloidea) lack the ability. <em>Vampyroteuthis</em> probably had extinct relatives who possessed ink sacs since they are coeloid cephalopods related to octopuses, but there's no fossil evidence extinct nautiloids ever possessed ink sacs (see Cephalopod Taxonomy in the Cephalopod Variants section's introduction for more information).</p><p></p><p>Quite a few octopuses have lost ink sacs that would have been present in their ancestral species. Examples include octopuses of the suborder Cirrina (who are deep-sea octopuses), the inkless octopus genus <em>Muusoctopus</em> (which prefer shallower water) and <em>Vulcanoctopus hydrothermalis</em> (that specializes in living near hydrothermal vents). The number of inkless octopus species greatly exceeds the seven non-octopus inkless cephalopods living today (six nautilus species plus one vampire squid).</p><p></p><p>Inklessness is believed to be an adaptation to lightless environments, since only nocturnal and abyssal cephalopods have evolved to lose their ink sacs. Whether it's shallow water at night or the pitch black depths, if there's never enough light for a predator to see ink there's little point retaining a gland that produces it. Many inkless cephalopods, including <em>Vampyroteuthis</em>, produce bioluminescent mucus that can distract sighted enemies in the dark unlike ink. (see Glow-Ink Cephalopod below).</p><p></p><p>To create an inkless cephalopod, simply remove its ink cloud special quality. This does not affect the animal's challenge rating.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Decoy-Deploying Cephalopod</strong></span></p><p>Some cephalopods have another method of distracting predators with their ink. Instead of the ink cloud's concealing "smoke screen", the animal squirts out small clouds of ink of approximately the same size, shape and colour as its body (the cephalopod may darken in colour beforehand), the animal then turns a light colour and jets away. Dim-witted predators might attack the squid-shaped cloud instead of targeting the fleeing pale-skinned cephalopod. Decoy-deploying is by far the commonest ink variant and is possessed by the majority of ink-using cephalopods.</p><p></p><p>An ink decoy is formed from a mix of ink with mucus produced by separate organs inside the cephalopod's mantle and then shot out through its siphon in whatever direction the animal thinks appropriate. Cephalopods can squirt out multiple ink decoys over a few seconds to increase the likelihood of perplexing the enemy.</p><p></p><p>All decoy-deploying cephalopods can also produce ink clouds, since they’re simply ink without the mucus. Using an ink cloud is less strenuous than decoy-deploying due to the metabolic cost of replacing the mucus.</p><p></p><p>A decoy-deploying cephalopod gains the ink decoy special quality, as follows:</p><p></p><p><strong>Ink Decoy (Ex):</strong> Once per minute as a quick action, a decoy-deploying cephalopod can produce 1d4 clouds of ink the size and shape of its body, it may position these decoys anywhere it chooses within a radius equal to the dimensions of a standard cephalopod's ink cloud. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Sighted creatures viewing this display must succeed at a Sense Motive check against a Bluff check made by the decoy-deploying cephalopod or mistake the decoys for the cephalopod. This gives the cephalopod a momentary diversion that allows it to attempt a Hide check while its opponents are aware of it. Typical cephalopods have no skill ranks in Bluff, giving them a Bluff skill check of –4. However, against a creature of animal intelligence (1 or 2) it gains a +6 bonus (Bluff +2), against a nonintelligent creature it gains a +12 bonus (Bluff +8). Ink decoys disperse in the water in the same round they are deployed.</p><p></p><p>Becoming a decoy-deploying cephalopod does not modify the creature's Challenge Rating or other statistics. Note that ink decoying has some similarities with the "Feinting in Combat" and "Creating a Diversion to Hide" kinds of Bluff skill checks.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Glow-Ink Cephalopod</strong></span></p><p>One disadvantage of distracting an enemy with an ink cloud is that the enemy needs to be able to see the ink. At night and in the deeper parts of the sea the water can appear to be as pitch-black as an ink cloud. Some cephalopods solve this problem by discharging bioluminescent slime instead of ink. Glowing mucus can distract a sighted opponent even in the most complete darkness.</p><p></p><p>This behaviour is called "fire-shooting" by biologists. Species that can do it include the odd bobtail squid (<em>Heteroteuthis dispar</em>) and vampire squid (<em>Vampyroteuthis infernalis</em>). The odd bobtail squid can also produce bright flashes of light from its photophores to distract other creatures, an ability far more common in deep-sea cephalopods than fire-shooting (see Dazzling Cephalopod in the Cephalopod Variants section). In lightless condition, blinding an attacker with a dazzling flash is roughly equivalent to the total concealment of an ink cloud. The vampire squid is does not have an ink sac so lacks the ink cloud ability (see Inkless Cephalopod above), but decoy-deploying cephalopods usually retain the ability to produce ink clouds and may be able to produce ink decoys as well as bioluminescent mucus.</p><p></p><p>A glow-ink cephalopod gains the glowing decoy special quality, as follows:</p><p></p><p><strong>Glowing Decoy (Ex):</strong> Once per minute as a quick action, a glow-ink cephalopod can produce a cloud of glowing slime roughly the size and shape of its body, it may position this decoy anywhere it chooses within a radius equal to the dimensions of a standard cephalopod's ink cloud. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. In well-lit areas this has no effect, but in areas of total darkness any sighted creature must succeed at a Sense Motive check against a Bluff check made by the cephalopod or mistake the decoy for the cephalopod. This gives the cephalopod a momentary diversion that allows it to attempt a Hide check while its opponents are aware of it. Typical cephalopods have no skill ranks in Bluff, giving them a Bluff skill check of –4. However, against a creature of animal intelligence (1 or 2) it gains a +6 bonus (Bluff +2), against a nonintelligent creature it gains a +12 bonus (Bluff +8). In shadowy condition, a –4 circumstance penalty applies to glowing decoy Bluff checks reducing the Bluff skill check to –8 (<em>or Bluff –2 vs animals, Bluff +4 vs nonintelligent</em>). Glowing decoys disperse in the water in the same round they are deployed.</p><p></p><p>Becoming a glow-ink cephalopod does not modify the creature's Challenge Rating or other statistics.</p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Stink-Ink Cephalopod</strong></span></p><p>A cephalopod’s ink can include other chemicals apart from pigments like melanin, and such compounds may give the ink an odd flavour and odour to discourage predation. Cephalopod ink does not taste or smell foul to humanoids – indeed it is sometimes used in cooking – but even a pleasant fragrance can be overpowering if strong enough.</p><p></p><p>A stink-ink gains the special quality, as follows:</p><p></p><p><strong>Ink Stink (Ex):</strong> A stink-ink cephalopod produces highly odorous ink that affects water-breathing creatures that enter an ink cloud produced by the animal. A stink-ink cephalopod's ink decoys are also odoriferous and affect creatures who make a bite attack against an ink decoy as well as water-breathing creatures who swim through one. Affected creatures must succeed at a Fortitude save or be sickened for 1 round and lose their sense of smell (and scent special ability if they have it) for 1d3 minutes, if they save successfully they only lose their sense of smell and scent ability for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.</p><p></p><p>Becoming a stink-ink cephalopod does not modify the creature's Challenge Rating or other statistics. Typical cephalopods with the ink stink ability use the following statistics:</p><p></p><p><strong>Stink-Ink Cephalopod Table</strong></p><table style='width: 100%'><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Size</strong></span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Ink Cloud Dimensions or Ink Decoy Range</strong></span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Squid Stink DC</strong></span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Octopus Stink DC</strong></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px">Large</span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">20 feet</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">15</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">—</span></p> </td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px">Medium</span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">15 feet</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">11</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">13</span></p> </td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px">Small</span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">10 feet</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">11</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">11</span></p> </td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px">Tiny</span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">5 feet</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">10</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">9</span></p> </td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px">Diminutive</span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">2 feet</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">10</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">9</span></p> </td></tr></table><p></p><p>Note that a stink-ink cephalopod cannot "turn off" its stink so is unable to produce non-odorous ink clouds or ink decoys, unlike glow-ink cephalopods who can produce non-glowing ink effects.</p><p></p><p><span style="color: purple"><strong><em>Note:</em></strong> There is currently no concrete proof any cephalopod has this ability, just anecdotes and theories about its existence. A fantasy world's "realistic" cephalopods could certainly possess ink stink.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-size: 18px"><strong>Poison-Ink Cephalopod</strong></span></p><p>Many if not most cephalopods are venomous, although the poison of most of them is not known to be dangerous to people. If a cephalopod can add odorous compounds to its ink, why not add venom instead?</p><p></p><p>Cephalopods with toxic ink might exist in the real world. The blue-ringed octopuses (<em>Hapalochlaena</em> sp.) are the most notable exception, with enough venom in their saliva glands to kill several dozen Medium sized humanoids. Traces of the octopus's venom octopus's toxin (including its lethal compound tetrodotoxin) have been found in the animal's ink, raising the possibility that it could be toxic too.</p><p></p><p>To create a poison-ink cephalopod, increase the Cephalopod's Challenge Rating by +1 and give the Ink Poison special attack as follows:</p><p></p><p><strong>Ink Poison (Ex):</strong> The ink of this cephalopod is laced with poison that delivers its effects through ingestion or inhalation, although it is a lot less potent if ingested. A water-breathing creature that enters a poison-ink cephalopod's ink cloud or ink decoy is affected by its <em>inhaled ink poison</em>. Creatures that swallow the cephalopod's poisonous mucus (usually by making a bite attack upon an ink decoy or the cephalopod itself) will be affected by its <em>ingested ink poison</em> even if they do not breath the venom-laced water. Creature exposed to both poisons in the same round (such as a water-breather both swallowing and breathing in an ink decoy) are only affected by its inhaled ink poison but the poison's Fortitude save DC has an additional +2 racial bonus.</p><p></p><p><em>Inhaled Ink Venom:</em> Inhaled, Fortitude DC as per table, initial damage 1d10 minutes of momentary paralysis, secondary damage increases momentary paralysis duration to 1d6×10 minutes and adds 1 point of Dexterity damage. The save DC includes a +2 racial adjustment, or a +4 racial adjustment if they also ingested the cephalopod's ink venom.</p><p></p><p><em>Ingested Ink Venom:</em> Ingested, Fortitude DC as per table, initial damage 1d10 round of momentary paralysis, secondary damage increases momentary paralysis duration to 1d10 minutes.</p><p></p><p>Momentary paralysis takes effect almost immediately; one round after failing their Fortitude save the victim suffers a –1 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks and skill checks; if the duration of the poison is measured in minutes then one minute after being poisoned the symptoms worsen, the victim can neither run nor charge and suffers a –2 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks and skill checks plus a –1 penalty to Reflex saves and damage rolls. The poison's penalties continue until the momentary paralysis duration ends. A creature who is immune or resistant to paralysis (such as a true dragon) applies this immunity or resistance to the poison’s momentary paralysis effect and only takes Dexterity damage. Penalties from ink poison's momentary paralysis do not stack with penalties from other forms of paralysis, such as those imposed by the suffocating paralysis of a blue-ringed octopus's venom and organ poison.</p><p></p><p>The save DCs are Constitution-based.</p><p></p><p>The ink poison special attack assumes the cephalopod's ink uses a much weaker variation of a blue-ringed octopus's poison. More potent ink poisons and ones with different effects are certainly possible but beyond the scope of this work.</p><p></p><p>Note that a poison-ink cephalopod cannot "turn off" its poison so is unable to produce non-toxic ink clouds or ink decoys, unlike glow-ink cephalopods who can produce non-glowing ink effects.</p><p></p><p>Typical cephalopods with the ink poison ability use the following statistics:</p><p></p><p><strong>Poison-Ink Cephalopod Table</strong></p><table style='width: 100%'><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Size</strong></span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Poison-Ink Squid<br /> Both Poisons DC</strong></span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Poison Squid<br /> Inhaled Ink DC</strong></span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Poison Squid<br /> Ingested Ink DC</strong></span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Poison-Ink Octopus<br /> Both Poisons DC</strong></span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Poison Octopus<br /> Inhaled Ink DC</strong></span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px"><strong>Poison Octopus<br /> Ingested Ink DC</strong></span></p> </td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px">Large</span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">19</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">17</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">15</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">—</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">—</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">—</span></p> </td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px">Medium</span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">15</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">13</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">11</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">17</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">15</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">13</span></p> </td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px">Small</span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">15</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">13</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">11</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">15</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">13</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">11</span></p> </td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px">Tiny</span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">14</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">12</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">10</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">13</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">11</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">9</span></p> </td></tr><tr><td><span style="font-size: 12px">Diminutive</span></td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">14</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">12</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">10</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">13</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">11</span></p> </td><td><p style="text-align: center"><span style="font-size: 12px">9</span></p> </td></tr></table><p></p><p><strong>Sample Creature</strong></p><p>The separate blue-ringed octopus entry includes a subentries with poisonous ink clouds, their text modifies the blue-ringed octopus's poison special attack to include ink poison and allow for the octopus lacking the ink decoy ability.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Cleon, post: 7961937, member: 57383"] [SIZE=6][B]Ink Variants[/B][/SIZE] Cephalopods can use ink to perform many other functions apart from the ink cloud ability of the standard octopus and squid, some of which are described below. Some cephalopods have multiple ink variants, species with both the Decoy-Deploying and Glow-Ink variants are not that uncommon. These ink variants do not include behaviours that are not pertinent to combat, such as some mother octopuses' habit of inundating their eggs with ink, or are included in another stratagem, such as the "ink fill" trick often used by glass squid that is described in the Glass Cephalopod entry above. [SIZE=5][B]Inkless Cephalopod[/B][/SIZE] Not every cephalopod is able to produce ink. In our world, the vampire squid ([I]Vampyroteuthis infernalis[/I]) and all living species of nautilus (subclass Nautiloidea) lack the ability. [I]Vampyroteuthis[/I] probably had extinct relatives who possessed ink sacs since they are coeloid cephalopods related to octopuses, but there's no fossil evidence extinct nautiloids ever possessed ink sacs (see Cephalopod Taxonomy in the Cephalopod Variants section's introduction for more information). Quite a few octopuses have lost ink sacs that would have been present in their ancestral species. Examples include octopuses of the suborder Cirrina (who are deep-sea octopuses), the inkless octopus genus [I]Muusoctopus[/I] (which prefer shallower water) and [I]Vulcanoctopus hydrothermalis[/I] (that specializes in living near hydrothermal vents). The number of inkless octopus species greatly exceeds the seven non-octopus inkless cephalopods living today (six nautilus species plus one vampire squid). Inklessness is believed to be an adaptation to lightless environments, since only nocturnal and abyssal cephalopods have evolved to lose their ink sacs. Whether it's shallow water at night or the pitch black depths, if there's never enough light for a predator to see ink there's little point retaining a gland that produces it. Many inkless cephalopods, including [I]Vampyroteuthis[/I], produce bioluminescent mucus that can distract sighted enemies in the dark unlike ink. (see Glow-Ink Cephalopod below). To create an inkless cephalopod, simply remove its ink cloud special quality. This does not affect the animal's challenge rating. [SIZE=5][B]Decoy-Deploying Cephalopod[/B][/SIZE] Some cephalopods have another method of distracting predators with their ink. Instead of the ink cloud's concealing "smoke screen", the animal squirts out small clouds of ink of approximately the same size, shape and colour as its body (the cephalopod may darken in colour beforehand), the animal then turns a light colour and jets away. Dim-witted predators might attack the squid-shaped cloud instead of targeting the fleeing pale-skinned cephalopod. Decoy-deploying is by far the commonest ink variant and is possessed by the majority of ink-using cephalopods. An ink decoy is formed from a mix of ink with mucus produced by separate organs inside the cephalopod's mantle and then shot out through its siphon in whatever direction the animal thinks appropriate. Cephalopods can squirt out multiple ink decoys over a few seconds to increase the likelihood of perplexing the enemy. All decoy-deploying cephalopods can also produce ink clouds, since they’re simply ink without the mucus. Using an ink cloud is less strenuous than decoy-deploying due to the metabolic cost of replacing the mucus. A decoy-deploying cephalopod gains the ink decoy special quality, as follows: [B]Ink Decoy (Ex):[/B] Once per minute as a quick action, a decoy-deploying cephalopod can produce 1d4 clouds of ink the size and shape of its body, it may position these decoys anywhere it chooses within a radius equal to the dimensions of a standard cephalopod's ink cloud. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. Sighted creatures viewing this display must succeed at a Sense Motive check against a Bluff check made by the decoy-deploying cephalopod or mistake the decoys for the cephalopod. This gives the cephalopod a momentary diversion that allows it to attempt a Hide check while its opponents are aware of it. Typical cephalopods have no skill ranks in Bluff, giving them a Bluff skill check of –4. However, against a creature of animal intelligence (1 or 2) it gains a +6 bonus (Bluff +2), against a nonintelligent creature it gains a +12 bonus (Bluff +8). Ink decoys disperse in the water in the same round they are deployed. Becoming a decoy-deploying cephalopod does not modify the creature's Challenge Rating or other statistics. Note that ink decoying has some similarities with the "Feinting in Combat" and "Creating a Diversion to Hide" kinds of Bluff skill checks. [SIZE=5][B]Glow-Ink Cephalopod[/B][/SIZE] One disadvantage of distracting an enemy with an ink cloud is that the enemy needs to be able to see the ink. At night and in the deeper parts of the sea the water can appear to be as pitch-black as an ink cloud. Some cephalopods solve this problem by discharging bioluminescent slime instead of ink. Glowing mucus can distract a sighted opponent even in the most complete darkness. This behaviour is called "fire-shooting" by biologists. Species that can do it include the odd bobtail squid ([I]Heteroteuthis dispar[/I]) and vampire squid ([I]Vampyroteuthis infernalis[/I]). The odd bobtail squid can also produce bright flashes of light from its photophores to distract other creatures, an ability far more common in deep-sea cephalopods than fire-shooting (see Dazzling Cephalopod in the Cephalopod Variants section). In lightless condition, blinding an attacker with a dazzling flash is roughly equivalent to the total concealment of an ink cloud. The vampire squid is does not have an ink sac so lacks the ink cloud ability (see Inkless Cephalopod above), but decoy-deploying cephalopods usually retain the ability to produce ink clouds and may be able to produce ink decoys as well as bioluminescent mucus. A glow-ink cephalopod gains the glowing decoy special quality, as follows: [B]Glowing Decoy (Ex):[/B] Once per minute as a quick action, a glow-ink cephalopod can produce a cloud of glowing slime roughly the size and shape of its body, it may position this decoy anywhere it chooses within a radius equal to the dimensions of a standard cephalopod's ink cloud. This does not provoke an attack of opportunity. In well-lit areas this has no effect, but in areas of total darkness any sighted creature must succeed at a Sense Motive check against a Bluff check made by the cephalopod or mistake the decoy for the cephalopod. This gives the cephalopod a momentary diversion that allows it to attempt a Hide check while its opponents are aware of it. Typical cephalopods have no skill ranks in Bluff, giving them a Bluff skill check of –4. However, against a creature of animal intelligence (1 or 2) it gains a +6 bonus (Bluff +2), against a nonintelligent creature it gains a +12 bonus (Bluff +8). In shadowy condition, a –4 circumstance penalty applies to glowing decoy Bluff checks reducing the Bluff skill check to –8 ([I]or Bluff –2 vs animals, Bluff +4 vs nonintelligent[/I]). Glowing decoys disperse in the water in the same round they are deployed. Becoming a glow-ink cephalopod does not modify the creature's Challenge Rating or other statistics. [SIZE=5][B]Stink-Ink Cephalopod[/B][/SIZE] A cephalopod’s ink can include other chemicals apart from pigments like melanin, and such compounds may give the ink an odd flavour and odour to discourage predation. Cephalopod ink does not taste or smell foul to humanoids – indeed it is sometimes used in cooking – but even a pleasant fragrance can be overpowering if strong enough. A stink-ink gains the special quality, as follows: [B]Ink Stink (Ex):[/B] A stink-ink cephalopod produces highly odorous ink that affects water-breathing creatures that enter an ink cloud produced by the animal. A stink-ink cephalopod's ink decoys are also odoriferous and affect creatures who make a bite attack against an ink decoy as well as water-breathing creatures who swim through one. Affected creatures must succeed at a Fortitude save or be sickened for 1 round and lose their sense of smell (and scent special ability if they have it) for 1d3 minutes, if they save successfully they only lose their sense of smell and scent ability for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based. Becoming a stink-ink cephalopod does not modify the creature's Challenge Rating or other statistics. Typical cephalopods with the ink stink ability use the following statistics: [B]Stink-Ink Cephalopod Table[/B] [TABLE] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3][B]Size[/B][/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3][B]Ink Cloud Dimensions or Ink Decoy Range[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3][B]Squid Stink DC[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3][B]Octopus Stink DC[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3]Large[/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]20 feet[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]15[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]—[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3]Medium[/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]15 feet[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]11[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]13[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3]Small[/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]10 feet[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]11[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]11[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3]Tiny[/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]5 feet[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]10[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]9[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3]Diminutive[/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]2 feet[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]10[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]9[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] Note that a stink-ink cephalopod cannot "turn off" its stink so is unable to produce non-odorous ink clouds or ink decoys, unlike glow-ink cephalopods who can produce non-glowing ink effects. [COLOR=purple][B][I]Note:[/I][/B] There is currently no concrete proof any cephalopod has this ability, just anecdotes and theories about its existence. A fantasy world's "realistic" cephalopods could certainly possess ink stink.[/COLOR] [SIZE=5][B]Poison-Ink Cephalopod[/B][/SIZE] Many if not most cephalopods are venomous, although the poison of most of them is not known to be dangerous to people. If a cephalopod can add odorous compounds to its ink, why not add venom instead? Cephalopods with toxic ink might exist in the real world. The blue-ringed octopuses ([I]Hapalochlaena[/I] sp.) are the most notable exception, with enough venom in their saliva glands to kill several dozen Medium sized humanoids. Traces of the octopus's venom octopus's toxin (including its lethal compound tetrodotoxin) have been found in the animal's ink, raising the possibility that it could be toxic too. To create a poison-ink cephalopod, increase the Cephalopod's Challenge Rating by +1 and give the Ink Poison special attack as follows: [B]Ink Poison (Ex):[/B] The ink of this cephalopod is laced with poison that delivers its effects through ingestion or inhalation, although it is a lot less potent if ingested. A water-breathing creature that enters a poison-ink cephalopod's ink cloud or ink decoy is affected by its [I]inhaled ink poison[/I]. Creatures that swallow the cephalopod's poisonous mucus (usually by making a bite attack upon an ink decoy or the cephalopod itself) will be affected by its [I]ingested ink poison[/I] even if they do not breath the venom-laced water. Creature exposed to both poisons in the same round (such as a water-breather both swallowing and breathing in an ink decoy) are only affected by its inhaled ink poison but the poison's Fortitude save DC has an additional +2 racial bonus. [I]Inhaled Ink Venom:[/I] Inhaled, Fortitude DC as per table, initial damage 1d10 minutes of momentary paralysis, secondary damage increases momentary paralysis duration to 1d6×10 minutes and adds 1 point of Dexterity damage. The save DC includes a +2 racial adjustment, or a +4 racial adjustment if they also ingested the cephalopod's ink venom. [I]Ingested Ink Venom:[/I] Ingested, Fortitude DC as per table, initial damage 1d10 round of momentary paralysis, secondary damage increases momentary paralysis duration to 1d10 minutes. Momentary paralysis takes effect almost immediately; one round after failing their Fortitude save the victim suffers a –1 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks and skill checks; if the duration of the poison is measured in minutes then one minute after being poisoned the symptoms worsen, the victim can neither run nor charge and suffers a –2 penalty to attack rolls, ability checks and skill checks plus a –1 penalty to Reflex saves and damage rolls. The poison's penalties continue until the momentary paralysis duration ends. A creature who is immune or resistant to paralysis (such as a true dragon) applies this immunity or resistance to the poison’s momentary paralysis effect and only takes Dexterity damage. Penalties from ink poison's momentary paralysis do not stack with penalties from other forms of paralysis, such as those imposed by the suffocating paralysis of a blue-ringed octopus's venom and organ poison. The save DCs are Constitution-based. The ink poison special attack assumes the cephalopod's ink uses a much weaker variation of a blue-ringed octopus's poison. More potent ink poisons and ones with different effects are certainly possible but beyond the scope of this work. Note that a poison-ink cephalopod cannot "turn off" its poison so is unable to produce non-toxic ink clouds or ink decoys, unlike glow-ink cephalopods who can produce non-glowing ink effects. Typical cephalopods with the ink poison ability use the following statistics: [B]Poison-Ink Cephalopod Table[/B] [TABLE] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3][B]Size[/B][/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3][B]Poison-Ink Squid Both Poisons DC[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3][B]Poison Squid Inhaled Ink DC[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3][B]Poison Squid Ingested Ink DC[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3][B]Poison-Ink Octopus Both Poisons DC[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3][B]Poison Octopus Inhaled Ink DC[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3][B]Poison Octopus Ingested Ink DC[/B][/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3]Large[/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]19[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]17[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]15[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]—[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]—[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]—[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3]Medium[/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]15[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]13[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]11[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]17[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]15[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]13[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3]Small[/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]15[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]13[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]11[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]15[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]13[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]11[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3]Tiny[/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]14[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]12[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]10[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]13[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]11[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]9[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [TR] [TD][SIZE=3]Diminutive[/SIZE][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]14[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]12[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]10[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]13[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]11[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [TD][CENTER][SIZE=3]9[/SIZE][/CENTER][/TD] [/TR] [/TABLE] [B]Sample Creature[/B] The separate blue-ringed octopus entry includes a subentries with poisonous ink clouds, their text modifies the blue-ringed octopus's poison special attack to include ink poison and allow for the octopus lacking the ink decoy ability. [/QUOTE]
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