Cleon
Legend
Another Snake eh, I have no objection.
Converting "Real World" Animals and Vermin
- Thread starter Shade
- Start date
Another Snake eh, I have no objection.
Cleon
Legend
Does the Dragon #313 Elder Snake template include a hypnotic swaying ability?
If not, methinks we should give the standard creature hypno-swaying as a special attack.
Shade
Monster Junkie
It has this...
Mesmerizing Sway (Su): An elder serpent can paralyze other creatures as a standard action by swaying slowly and steadily while staring at them. Every creature within 30 feet of the serpent that can see its swaying must make a successful Will save (DC 10 + one-half elder serpent's racial HD + elder serpent's Charisma modifier) to avoid the effect. Failure means the creature is paralyzed for as long as the elder serpent concentrates and for 1d6 rounds thereafter. Mesmerizing sway is a mind-affecting effect.
Cleon
Legend
Hmm...
I'm in favour of giving the "standard" Giant Cobra a mesmeric sway ability that only affects animals (or creatures with an Intelligence of 2 or less?), since that's what the original gets.
Something like...
Mesmerize Animals (Su?): An giant cobra can paralyze animals as a standard action by swaying slowly and steadily while staring at them. Every animal within 30 feet of the snake that can see its swaying must make a successful Will save (DC X) to avoid the effect. Failure means the creature is paralyzed for as long as the giant cobra continues to sway (requiring a standard action every round) and for 1d6 rounds thereafter. Mesmerizing sway is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Cleon
Legend
That's why the question mark was there.
I think I'll start a Working Draft, using a Large Viper Snake as the foundation...
Cleon
Legend
Giant Cobra Working Draft
Snake, Giant Cobra
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 3d10 (16 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft, swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Mesmerize animal, poison
Special Qualities: Scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +8, Listen +5, Spot +6, Swim +8
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any warm land
Organization: Solitary, pair or quiver (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-5 HD (Large), 6-9 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —
An enormous cobra, as long and heavy as a large python.
A giant cobra is a larger, slightly magical version of an ordinary cobra that is able to mesmerize animals by performing a swaying, hypnotic "dance". A giant cobra only hunts during the day, it will normally try to flee if encountered at night. They prefer warm-blooded prey up to the size of a gnome or roe deer, and have no compunctions against eating humanoids.
A giant cobra is intelligent enough to be trained by someone willing to brave its deadly venom. Snake-charmers, serpent cults and assassins occasionally keep these snakes. Giant cobras are most commonly trained as guards, sacred animals, or to milk them of their venom. Even "tame" giant cobras always remain dangerous and should be handled carefully.
Giant cobras lair in burrows they steal from other animals. They mate once a year, then the female builds a nest and guards her clutch off eggs until they hatch. A single female usually lays between a dozen and a score of eggs. Giant cobra eggs are prized as delicacies by some wild elves and jungle giants, and are also sought after by people wanting to hatch the young snakes and raise them.
Giant cobras are usually between 12 and 30 feet long, but they can grow considerably bigger than that. A typical specimen is 24 feet from nose to tail and weighs 500 pounds.
COMBAT
Giant cobras try to use their poison bite as often as they can. They often retreat into undergrowth or a burrow to give their poison time to work, then return to eat any victims who fall to their venom.
A giant cobra can swallow a creature up to two size categories smaller than itself, but this is a slow process requiring at least a minute of time and a non-resisting meal, not an action it can perform in combat.
Mesmerize Animals (Su): A giant cobra can paralyze animals as a standard action by swaying slowly and steadily while staring at them. Every animal within 30 feet of the snake that can see its swaying must make a successful Will save (DC 12) to avoid the effect. Failure means the creature is paralyzed for as long as the giant cobra continues to sway (requiring a standard action every round) and for 1d6 rounds thereafter. Mesmerizing sway is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Poison (Ex): A giant cobra has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d8 Con unless the victim succeeds at a DC 15 Fortitude save. The save DCs is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.
Snake, Giant Cobra
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 3d10 (16 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft, swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7
Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8 plus poison)
Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d8 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Mesmerize animal, poison
Special Qualities: Scent
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 17, Con 11, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Hide +8, Listen +5, Spot +6, Swim +8
Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any warm land
Organization: Solitary, pair or quiver (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 4-5 HD (Large), 6-9 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —
An enormous cobra, as long and heavy as a large python.
A giant cobra is a larger, slightly magical version of an ordinary cobra that is able to mesmerize animals by performing a swaying, hypnotic "dance". A giant cobra only hunts during the day, it will normally try to flee if encountered at night. They prefer warm-blooded prey up to the size of a gnome or roe deer, and have no compunctions against eating humanoids.
A giant cobra is intelligent enough to be trained by someone willing to brave its deadly venom. Snake-charmers, serpent cults and assassins occasionally keep these snakes. Giant cobras are most commonly trained as guards, sacred animals, or to milk them of their venom. Even "tame" giant cobras always remain dangerous and should be handled carefully.
Giant cobras lair in burrows they steal from other animals. They mate once a year, then the female builds a nest and guards her clutch off eggs until they hatch. A single female usually lays between a dozen and a score of eggs. Giant cobra eggs are prized as delicacies by some wild elves and jungle giants, and are also sought after by people wanting to hatch the young snakes and raise them.
Giant cobras are usually between 12 and 30 feet long, but they can grow considerably bigger than that. A typical specimen is 24 feet from nose to tail and weighs 500 pounds.
COMBAT
Giant cobras try to use their poison bite as often as they can. They often retreat into undergrowth or a burrow to give their poison time to work, then return to eat any victims who fall to their venom.
A giant cobra can swallow a creature up to two size categories smaller than itself, but this is a slow process requiring at least a minute of time and a non-resisting meal, not an action it can perform in combat.
Mesmerize Animals (Su): A giant cobra can paralyze animals as a standard action by swaying slowly and steadily while staring at them. Every animal within 30 feet of the snake that can see its swaying must make a successful Will save (DC 12) to avoid the effect. Failure means the creature is paralyzed for as long as the giant cobra continues to sway (requiring a standard action every round) and for 1d6 rounds thereafter. Mesmerizing sway is a mind-affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.
Poison (Ex): A giant cobra has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d8 Con unless the victim succeeds at a DC 15 Fortitude save. The save DCs is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.
Last edited:
Shade
Monster Junkie
I'm no expert on the subject, but it does sound a bit farfetched.
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