Creature Catalog new 3.5 conversions (Part Two)

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Shade

Monster Junkie
Draeden

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/298543-converting-epic-level-creatures-11.html

Draeden
Colossal Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Psionic)
Hit Dice: 101d8+4,545 (4,999 hp)
Initiative: +15
Speed: Fly 1,800 ft. (360 squares)(perfect)
Armor Class: 119 (-8 size, +7 Dex, +60 natural, +20 insight, +30 divine), touch 59, flat-footed 112
Base Attack/Grapple: +101/+162
Attack: Bite +104 melee (10d10+67/19-20 plus 1d6 and DC 105 Fort save or die)
Full Attack: Bite +104 melee (10d10+67/19-20 plus 1d6 and DC 105 Fort save or die)
Space/Reach: 1,000 ft./300 ft.
Special Attacks: Engulfing maw, forbidding appearance, master of magic, master of psionics, swallow whole
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 25/epic, darkvision 20 miles, fast healing 200, immunities, rebound attack, spell resistance 130, telepathy 20 miles
Saves: Fort +101, Ref +63, Will +101
Abilities: Str 100, Dex 25, Con 100, Int 50, Wis 50, Cha 50
Skills: Appraise +124, Autohypnosis +134, Balance +17, Bluff +124, Climb +149, Concentration +149, Decipher Script +124, Diplomacy +144, Disguise +20 (+30 acting), Hide +95, Intimidate +134, Jump +857, Knowledge (arcana) +124,
Knowledge (history) +124, Knowledge (nature) +134, Knowledge (psionics) +134, Knowledge (religion) +124, Knowledge (the planes) +124, Listen +124,
Move Silently +111, Psicraft +134 (+144 power stones), Search +124,
Sense Motive +124, Spellcraft +134 (+144 scrolls), Spot +124, Survival +124 (+134 following tracks, +134 in aboveground natural environments, +134 on other planes), Swim +149, Tumble +121, Use Magic Device +124 (+144 scrolls), Use Psionic Device +124 (+134 power stones)
Feats: Automatic Quicken Spell (×3), Cleave, Combat Expertise, Combat Reflexes, Deflect Arrows, Devastating Critical (bite), Enlarge Spell, Epic Fortitude, Epic Prowess, Epic Reflexes, Epic Spellcasting, Epic Sunder, Epic Will, Exceptional Deflection, Great Cleave, Heighten Spell, Hold the Line, Improved Combat Reflexes, Improved Critical (bite), Improved Initiative, Improved Sunder, Improved Trip, Improved Unarmed Strike, Knock-Down, Overwhelming Critical (bite), Power Attack, Power Critical, Quicken Spell, Spellcasting Harrier, Superior Expertise, Superior Initiative, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Unknown outer plane
Organization: Solitary or cluster (2-20)
Challenge Rating: 110
Treasure: Decatuple Standard (gems)
Alignment: Always chaotic
Advancement: 102+ HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: —

A massive tube drops down from the sky, ending in a titanic circular maw. The other end is far beyond sight, stretching above the clouds.

Draeden are among the most ancient and enigmatic of all entities. These massive beings appear to predate many of the outer planes, and are rumored to be descended from beings that existed long before all the deities currently venerated around the multiverse.

Draedens dislike all matter, whether elemental, astral, or ethereal in origin. They devour anything smaller than a planet they encounter. They prefer to wander the depths of perfect vacuum.

Draedens are solitary creatures, and only around 1,000 are believed to still exist.

An entire draeden is too vast for even epic-level characters to have meaningful encounters with, but they can interact with some of its feeding tube appendages.

The statistics given above represent the mouth-end of a single feeding tube. A draeden has a central body at least 2 miles in diameter and its 50 feeding tubes are 10 miles long or more. A draeden's weight is immeasurable.

Draedens communicate telepathically with any creature within 20 miles.

COMBAT
A draeden's forbidding appearance is so terrifying that most creatures do not dare to attack it. They attempt to bite any opponents foolish enough to get close enough, attacking others with devastating magic and psionics. The draeden will not swallow an opponent that appears powerful enough to cause it internal injury, but will attack such foes repeatedly until they are destroyed. Its three Automatic Quicken Spell feats allow the draeden to cast a quickened spell every round, with a spell level up to 9th. It chooses whichever spell its phenomenal intelligence judges is the most appropriate to the circumstances.

If somehow seriously threatened, a draeden uses magic to escape to a distant plane.

Engulfing Maw (Ex): As part of an attack or full attack action, a draeden can stretch its vast maw to cover an area 150 feet in diameter anywhere within its Reach. All creatures within the affected area must make a DC 67 Reflex save to avoid being scooped into the creature's expanded, open mouth and swallowed. See Swallow Whole, below, for the consequences of being swallowed by a draeden. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

Forbidding Appearance (Su): A draeden projects a horrifying image into the minds of all those who look on it; anyone looking at a draeden perceives instead an invincible foe brought forward from their deepest nightmares. The victim must make a DC 80 Will save or flee in panic for 1d4+1 rounds. Even if they save, the creature must succeed on a DC 80 Will save in order to make an attack or cast a spell at the draeden. Those that successfully interact with the draeden gain a DC 80 Will save to pierce the illusion, allowing them to act normally. This is a phantasm and fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Immunities: A draeden is immune to polymorphing, petrification, or any other attack that alters its form. Any shape-altering powers the draeden might have work normally on itself. It is immune to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects). They cannot be affected by effects that imprison or banish them. Such effects include banishment, binding, dimensional anchor, dismissal, imprisonment, repulsion, soul bind, temporal stasis, trap the soul, and turning and rebuking.

A draeden is not subject to energy drain, ability drain, or ability damage, disease and poison, stunning, sleep, paralysis, and death effects. A draeden is also immune to damage from electricity, cold, acid, and disintegration.

Master of Magic (Sp): At will, a draeden may use any arcane or divine spell from any spell list as a spell-like ability. The saving throw DC for such abilities is 30 + spell level (10 + spell level + Charisma bonus). Caster level equals draeden's Hit Dice. A draeden may apply any metamagic feat it possesses to these spell-like abilities as if they were spells. As a result of its Automatic Quicken Spell feats, a draeden may use any spell up to 9th level as a free action. A draeden knows all Epic Spells with a Spellcraft DC up to 135.

Master of Psionics (Ps): At will, a draeden may manifest any psionic power from any power list as a psi-like ability. The saving throw DC for such abilities is 30 + power level (10 + power level + Charisma bonus). Manifester level equals draeden's Hit Dice. A draeden may apply any metapsionic feat it possesses to these psi-like abilities as if they were psionic powers.

Rebound Attack (Su): Whenever a draeden is affected by a weapon, spell, psionic power, or special attack, it can take an immediate action to reproduce that effect against its attacker. The attacker takes the same damage or effect that the draeden takes. If the power or attack allows a save, the attacker may attempt the save at the same DC allowed to the draeden.

Swallow Whole (Ex): By making a successful grapple check, a draeden can try to swallow an opponent it has grappled. Victims of the draeden's Engulfing Maw are automatically swallowed. Once inside, the opponent takes 10d10+45 points of crushing damage plus 8d12 points of acid damage per round and is drawn down the draeden's throat towards a gizzard in its central body. No creature with speed less than 80 ft can climb out of the draeden's maw by making an opposed grapple check; however, a successful grapple check prevents the victim from progressing farther toward the central gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 60 points of damage to the interior of the draeden (AC 90); if the damage is not done in a single round, the victim must maintain position by winning opposed grapple checks. Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A victim will reach the central gizzard if it fails 10 opposed grapple checks in the throat. A victim that reaches the central gizzard takes 50d10+45 bludgeoning and 40d12 acid damage per round. A draeden's interior can hold an effectively limitless number of creatures up to Colossal size.

Orginally appeared in Immortal Rules [DM's Guide to Immortals] (1986).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Warden Beast

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/248731-converting-planescape-monsters-50.html

Warden Beast

Warden beasts are exemplary spiritual representations of animal groups on the Beastlands. They are the protectors, purveyors, and proliferators of their species, serving as leaders and champions. Each warden beast holds dominion over one select, general group of animals (such as bears, wolves, deer, insects, lizards, birds, and so on), but there are many warden beasts for each group.

A warden beast resembles its base creature, but is always an exemplar of its kind. A warden beast is graceful, beautiful, and powerful in form. Its eyes glimmer with intellect and understanding. Warden beasts generally act as normal animals of their base stock, unless their wards are threatened. Warden beasts rarely interact with each other, but never view each other as potential prey.

Creating a Warden Beast
“Warden beast” is an inherited template that can be added to any animal or vermin (referred to hereafter as the base creature). Only creatures found on the Beastlands have a warden beast; this template cannot be applied to creatures with magical powers or other criteria which exclude them from the Beastlands.

Size and Type: The base creature's type changes to magical beast and it gains the Extraplanar subtype.

Hit Dice: The base creature gains 3 additional Hit Dice. As magical beasts, warden beasts d10 Hit Dice; recalculate the hit points accordingly.

Speed: Same as base creature.

Armor Class: Add +3 to the base creature's natural armor bonus.

Base Attack Bonus: A warden beast's base attack bonus is equal its total Hit Dice.

Attacks: A warden beast retains all the natural weapons of the base creature. In addition, all of a warden beast's natural attacks gain a +2 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage.

Special Attacks: A warden beast retains all the special attacks of the base creature, and gains the following abilities:

Call of the Beastlands (Su): A warden beast can telepathically contact any animal native to its home that is within 5 miles. The warden beast can then use this contact to send very basic commands (flee north, swarm the intruder, be calm). Warden beasts only use the call of the beastlands in absolute emergencies, such as forest fires. They never use this power to endanger one of their charges to further their own ends - even if doing so would save the warden beast's life.

In extremis, a warden beast may use this power to call creatures to fight in defense of their habitat's existence. The beast can do this once per week. Such a call is equivalent to a summon nature's ally spell of a level equal to half the warden beast's Hit Dice. The call only affects creatures of the animal type, so the warden beast can not call elementals, fey and the like. The warden beast can modify the number of called creatures as if it applied the Empower Spell or Maximize Spell feats. (e.g.: a 12-13 Hit Dice warden beast's call can be equivalent to either a summon nature's ally VI, an empowered summon nature's ally IV, a maximized summon nature's ally III, or an empowered maximized summon nature's ally I.)

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At-will—detect snares and pits, entangle, protection from evil, summon nature's ally I, cure light wounds (limited to 1/day for any given individual), 3/day—plant growth, 1/day—animal growth (the warden beast can use this power on itself), commune with nature. Caster level 10th, the save DCs are Wisdom-based.

Summon Warden Beast (Sp): Once per day, a warden beast can automatically summon another warden beast (with the same base animal). This ability is the equivalent of a spell with a level equal to 2 plus half the warden beast's challenge rating (max spell level 9th). For example, a CR 7 tiger warden beast will summon another CR 7 tiger warden beast, which is equivalent to a 5th level spell (2 plus half of 7).

Special Qualities: A warden beast retains all the special qualities of the base creature, and gains the following abilities:

Animal Empathy (Ex): A warden beast can communicate with all animals and vermin, and gains a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based skill checks against animals and vermin.

Ecosense (Su): A warden beast is mystically tied into the ecosystem of its territory (an area up to 10 miles across). The warden beast instantly senses when major changes affect the living creatures of its territory, such as the territory's plants or animals being killed or injured, a flooding river, or a large group of creatures entering its land.

Any effect that opposes divination spells, such as the nondetection spell, will also oppose a warden beast's ecosense. Ecosense can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Sense Emotions (Ex): A warden beast can sense strong emotions such as anger, despair, elation, greed, hatred, love, or lust. It can sense such emotions in any intelligent creatures within a 100 ft. radius. This functions like the psionic power empathy. This ability gives the warden beast a +2 insight bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive checks against creatures that are susceptible to mind-affecting powers.

Spell Resistance (Su): A warden beast has spell resistance equal to its Challenge Rating +9.

Telepathy (Su): A warden beast has telepathy with a 100 ft. range.

Saves: A warden beast gains all good saves, like a dire animal.

Abilities: A warden beast gains a +8 racial bonus to Intelligence (if the base creature lacks an Intelligence score the warden beast has Int 8), a +6 racial bonus to Charisma, and a +4 racial bonus to Strength, Dexterity, Constitution and Wisdom.

Skills: A warden beast gains additional skill ranks for its higher intelligence.

Feats: A warden beast gains at least 1 additional feat for its increased Hit Dice.

Environment: The Wilderness of the Beastlands.

Organization: Use the base creature's organization, except only 1 of the creatures in each group will be a warden beast. All others are ordinary base creatures.

Example: a wolf has organization "Solitary, pair, or pack (7-16)", so a warden beast wolf has organization "Solitary, pair (1 plus 1 wolf), or pack (1 plus 7-16 wolves)".

Challenge Rating: +4 if the base creature is CR 2 or less; +3 for CR 3 to 6; +2 for CR 7 or more.

Treasure: None.

Alignment: Always neutral.

Advancement: As base creature +4 HD. If the base creature can advance in size, add an additional +4 HD for every size category it can increase.

Example: a wolf has advancement 3 HD (Medium); 4-6 HD (Large), so a warden beast wolf has 7 HD (Medium); 8-14 HD (Large).

Level Advancement: —

Sample Creatures
The following creatures have been modified with the warden beast template.

Bison Warden Beast
Large Magical Beast (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 8d10+40 (84 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+20
Attack: Gore +17 melee (1d8+14/19-20)
Full Attack: Gore +17 melee (1d8+14/19-20)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Call of the beastlands, spell-like abilities, summon warden beast, stampede
Special Qualities: Animal empathy, ecosense, low-light vision, scent, sense emotions, SR 15, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +8, Will +8
Abilities: Str 26, Dex 14, Con 20, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 10
Skills: Listen +15, Spot +15
Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Critical (gore)
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary or herd (1 plus 6-30 bison)
Challenge Rating: 6
Advancement: 9-11 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

These herd animals can be aggressive when protecting young and during the mating season, but they generally prefer flight to fighting. A bison stands more than 6 feet tall at the shoulder and is 9 to 12 feet long. It weigh 1,800 to 2,400 pounds. The bison’s statistics can be used for almost any large herd animal.

COMBAT
All of a warden beast's natural attacks gain a +2 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage. This bonus is included in the statistics above. A warden beast has all good saves, like a dire animal.

Animal Empathy (Ex): A warden beast can communicate with all animals and vermin, and gains a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based skill checks against animals and vermin.

Call of the Beastlands (Su): A warden beast can telepathically contact any animal native to its home that is within 5 miles. The warden beast can then use this contact to send very basic commands (flee north, swarm the intruder, be calm). Warden beasts only use the call of the beastlands in absolute emergencies, such as forest fires. They never use this power to endanger one of their charges to further their own ends - even if doing so would save the warden beast's life.

In extremis, a warden beast may use this power to call creatures to fight in defense of their habitat's existence. The beast can do this once per week. Such a call is equivalent to a summon nature's ally spell of a level equal to half the warden beast's Hit Dice. The call only affects creatures of the Animal type, so the warden beast can not call Elementals, Fey and the like. The warden beast can modify the number of called creatures as if it applied the Empower Spell or Maximize Spell feats. (e.g.: a 12-13 Hit Dice warden beast's call can be equivalent to either a summon nature's ally VI, an empowered summon nature's ally IV, a maximized summon nature's ally III, or an empowered maximized summon nature's ally I.)

Ecosense (Su): A warden beast is mystically tied into the ecosystem of its territory (an area up to 10 miles across). The warden beast instantly senses when major changes affect the living creatures of its territory, such as the territory's plants or animals being killed or injured, a flooding river, or a large group of creatures entering its land.

Any effect that opposes divination spells, such as the nondetection spell, will also oppose a warden beast's ecosense. Ecosense can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Sense Emotions (Ex): A warden beast can sense strong emotions such as anger, despair, elation, greed, hatred, love, or lust. It can sense such emotions in any intelligent creatures within a 100 ft. radius. This functions like the psionic power empathy. This ability gives the warden beast a +2 insight bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive checks against creatures that are susceptible to mind-affecting powers.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At-will—detect snares and pits, entangle (DC 13), protection from evil, summon nature's ally I, cure light wounds (limited to 1/day for any given individual), 3/day—plant growth, 1/day—animal growth (DC 17, the warden beast can use this power on itself), commune with nature. Caster level 10th, the save DCs are Wisdom-based.

Stampede (Ex): A frightened herd of bison flees as a group in a random direction (but always away from the perceived source of danger). They literally run over anything of Large size or smaller that gets in their way, dealing 1d12 points of damage for each five bison in the herd (Reflex DC 18 half). The save DC is Strength-based.

Summon Warden Beast (Sp): Once per day, a warden beast can automatically summon another warden beast (with the same base animal). This ability is the equivalent of a spell with a level equal to 2 plus half the warden beast's challenge rating (max spell level 9th). For example, a CR 6 bison warden beast will summon another CR 6 bison warden beast, which is equivalent to a 5th level spell (2 plus half of 6).

Tiger Warden Beast
Large Magical Beast (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 9d10+45 (94 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +6 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+21
Attack: Claw +18 melee (1d8+10)
Full Attack: 2 claws +18 melee (1d8+10) and bite +16 melee (2d6+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Call of the beastlands, improved grab, pounce, rake 1d8+6, spell-like abilities, summon warden beast
Special Qualities: Animal empathy, ecosense, low-light vision, scent, sense emotions, SR 16, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +9
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 19, Con 21, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 12
Skills: Balance +11, Hide +8*, Listen +8, Move Silently +14, Spot +8, Swim +13
Feats: Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved Natural Attack (claw), Multiattack
Environment: Warm forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Advancement: 10-16 HD (Large); 17-26 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

These great cats stand more than 3 feet tall at the shoulder and are about 9 feet long. They weigh from 400 to 600 pounds.

COMBAT
All of a warden beast's natural attacks gain a +2 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage. A warden beast has all good saves, like a dire animal.

Animal Empathy (Ex): A warden beast can communicate with all animals and vermin, and gains a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based skill checks against animals and vermin.

Call of the Beastlands (Su): A warden beast can telepathically contact any animal native to its home that is within 5 miles. The warden beast can then use this contact to send very basic commands (flee north, swarm the intruder, be calm). Warden beasts only use the call of the beastlands in absolute emergencies, such as forest fires. They never use this power to endanger one of their charges to further their own ends - even if doing so would save the warden beast's life.

In extremis, a warden beast may use this power to call creatures to fight in defense of their habitat's existence. The beast can do this once per week. Such a call is equivalent to a summon nature's ally spell of a level equal to half the warden beast's Hit Dice. The call only affects creatures of the Animal type, so the warden beast can not call Elementals, Fey and the like. The warden beast can modify the number of called creatures as if it applied the Empower Spell or Maximize Spell feats. (e.g.: a 12-13 Hit Dice warden beast's call can be equivalent to either a summon nature's ally VI, an empowered summon nature's ally IV, a maximized summon nature's ally III, or an empowered maximized summon nature's ally I.)

Ecosense (Su): A warden beast is mystically tied into the ecosystem of its territory (an area up to 10 miles across). The warden beast instantly senses when major changes affect the living creatures of its territory, such as the territory's plants or animals being killed or injured, a flooding river, or a large group of creatures entering its land.

Any effect that opposes divination spells, such as the nondetection spell, will also oppose a warden beast's ecosense. Ecosense can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a tiger must hit with a claw or bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake.

Pounce (Ex): If a tiger charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +18 melee, damage 1d8+6.

Sense Emotions (Ex): A warden beast can sense strong emotions such as anger, despair, elation, greed, hatred, love, or lust. It can sense such emotions in any intelligent creatures within a 100 ft. radius. This functions like the psionic power empathy. This ability gives the warden beast a +2 insight bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive checks against creatures that are susceptible to mind-affecting powers.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At-will—detect snares and pits, entangle (DC 14), protection from evil, summon nature's ally I, cure light wounds (limited to 1/day for any given individual), 3/day—plant growth, 1/day—animal growth (DC 18, the warden beast can use this power on itself), commune with nature. Caster level 10th, the save DCs are Wisdom-based.

Summon Warden Beast (Sp): Once per day, a warden beast can automatically summon another warden beast (with the same base animal). This ability is the equivalent of a spell with a level equal to 2 plus half the warden beast's challenge rating (max spell level 9th). For example, a CR 7 tiger warden beast will summon another CR 7 tiger warden beast, which is equivalent to a 5th level spell (2 plus half of 7).

Skills: Tigers have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks.

*In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +8.

Giant Octopus Warden Beast
Large Magical Beast (Aquatic, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 11d10+36 (86 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 30 ft.
Armor Class: 23 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +10 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+22
Attack: Tentacle +19 melee (1d6+9)
Full Attack: 8 tentacles +19 melee (1d6+9) and bite +14 melee (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. (20 ft. with tentacle)
Special Attacks: Call of the beastlands, improved grab, constrict, spell-like abilities, summon warden beast
Special Qualities: Animal empathy, ecosense, ink cloud, jet, low-light vision, sense emotions, SR 19, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +11, Will +10
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 10, Wis 16, Cha 9
Skills: Escape Artist +15, Hide +16, Listen +13, Spot +15, Swim +15
Feats: Alertness, Improved Natural Attack (tentacle), Skill Focus (Hide), Toughness
Environment: Warm aquatic
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 10
Advancement: 12-16 HD (Large); 17-32 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

These creatures are aggressive and territorial hunters, with arms reaching 10 feet or more in length. Their tentacles are studded with barbs and sharp-edged suckers.

COMBAT
All of a warden beast's natural attacks gain a +2 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage. This bonus is included in the statistics above. A warden beast has all good saves, like a dire animal.

An opponent can attack a giant octopus’s tentacles with a sunder attempt as if they were weapons. A giant octopus’s tentacles have 10 hit points each. If a giant octopus is currently grappling a target with the tentacle that is being attacked, it usually uses another limb to make its attack of opportunity against the opponent making the sunder attempt. Severing one of a giant octopus’s tentacles deals 5 points of damage to the creature. A giant octopus usually withdraws from combat if it loses four tentacles. The creature regrows severed limbs in 1d10+10 days.

Animal Empathy (Ex): A warden beast can communicate with all animals and vermin, and gains a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based skill checks against animals and vermin.

Call of the Beastlands (Su): A warden beast can telepathically contact any animal native to its home that is within 5 miles. The warden beast can then use this contact to send very basic commands (flee north, swarm the intruder, be calm). Warden beasts only use the call of the beastlands in absolute emergencies, such as forest fires. They never use this power to endanger one of their charges to further their own ends - even if doing so would save the warden beast's life.

In extremis, a warden beast may use this power to call creatures to fight in defense of their habitat's existence. The beast can do this once per week. Such a call is equivalent to a summon nature's ally spell of a level equal to half the warden beast's Hit Dice. The call only affects creatures of the Animal type, so the warden beast can not call Elementals, Fey and the like. The warden beast can modify the number of called creatures as if it applied the Empower Spell or Maximize Spell feats. (e.g.: a 12-13 Hit Dice warden beast's call can be equivalent to either a summon nature's ally VI, an empowered summon nature's ally IV, a maximized summon nature's ally III, or an empowered maximized summon nature's ally I.)

Constrict (Ex): A giant octopus deals 2d8+12 points of damage with a successful grapple check.

Ecosense (Su): A warden beast is mystically tied into the ecosystem of its territory (an area up to 10 miles across). The warden beast instantly senses when major changes affect the living creatures of its territory, such as the territory's plants or animals being killed or injured, a flooding river, or a large group of creatures entering its land.

Any effect that opposes divination spells, such as the nondetection spell, will also oppose a warden beast's ecosense. Ecosense can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a giant octopus must hit an opponent of any size with a tentacle attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Ink Cloud (Ex): A giant octopus can emit a cloud of jet-black ink 20 feet high by 20 feet wide by 20 feet long once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the octopus normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured.

Jet (Ex): A giant octopus can jet backward once per round as a full-round action, at a speed of 200 feet. It must move in a straight line, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity while jetting.

Sense Emotions (Ex): A warden beast can sense strong emotions such as anger, despair, elation, greed, hatred, love, or lust. It can sense such emotions in any intelligent creatures within a 100 ft. radius. This functions like the psionic power empathy. This ability gives the warden beast a +2 insight bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive checks against creatures that are susceptible to mind-affecting powers.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At-will—detect snares and pits, entangle (DC 14), protection from evil, summon nature's ally I, cure light wounds (limited to 1/day for any given individual), 3/day—plant growth, 1/day—animal growth (DC 18, the warden beast can use this power on itself), commune with nature. Caster level 10th, the save DCs are Wisdom-based.

Summon Warden Beast (Sp): Once per day, a warden beast can automatically summon another warden beast (with the same base animal). This ability is the equivalent of a spell with a level equal to 2 plus half the warden beast's challenge rating (max spell level 9th). For example, a giant octopus warden beast will summon a CR 10 giant octopus warden beast, which is equivalent to a 7th level spell (2 plus half of 10).

Skills: A giant octopus can change colors, giving it a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. A giant octopus also can squeeze and contort its body, giving it a +10 racial bonus on Escape Artist checks. A giant octopus has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

Cachalot Whale Warden Beast
Gargantuan Magical Beast (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 15d10+138 (220 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (-4 size, +3 Dex, +12 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+41
Attack: Bite +27 melee (4d6+16)
Full Attack: Bite +27 melee (4d6+16) and tail slap +12 melee (1d8+6)
Space/Reach: 20 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Call of the beastlands, spell-like abilities, summon warden beast
Special Qualities: Animal empathy, blindsight 120 ft., ecosense, hold breath, low-light vision, sense emotions, SR 18, telepathy 100 ft.
Saves: Fort +18, Ref +12, Will +13
Abilities: Str 39, Dex 17, Con 28, Int 10, Wis 18, Cha 12
Skills: Listen +28*, Spot +28*, Swim +22
Feats: Alertness, Diehard, Endurance, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Power Attack, Toughness
Environment: Temperate aquatic
Organization: Solitary or pod (6-11)
Challenge Rating: 9
Advancement: 16-22 HD (Gargantuan); 23-44 HD (Colossal)
Level Adjustment: —

Also known as sperm whales, these creatures can be up to 60 feet long. They prey on giant squids.

COMBAT
All of a warden beast's natural attacks gain a +2 enhancement bonus to attack rolls and damage. This bonus is included in the statistics above. A warden beast has all good saves, like a dire animal.

Animal Empathy (Ex): A warden beast can communicate with all animals and vermin, and gains a +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based skill checks against animals and vermin.

Blindsight (Ex): Whales can "see" by emitting high-frequency sounds, inaudible to most other creatures, that allow them to locate objects and creatures within 120 feet. A silence spell negates this and forces the whale to rely on its vision, which is approximately as good as a human’s.

Call of the Beastlands (Su): A warden beast can telepathically contact any animal native to its home that is within 5 miles. The warden beast can then use this contact to send very basic commands (flee north, swarm the intruder, be calm). Warden beasts only use the call of the beastlands in absolute emergencies, such as forest fires. They never use this power to endanger one of their charges to further their own ends - even if doing so would save the warden beast's life.

In extremis, a warden beast may use this power to call creatures to fight in defense of their habitat's existence. The beast can do this once per week. Such a call is equivalent to a summon nature's ally spell of a level equal to half the warden beast's Hit Dice. The call only affects creatures of the Animal type, so the warden beast can not call Elementals, Fey and the like. The warden beast can modify the number of called creatures as if it applied the Empower Spell or Maximize Spell feats. (e.g.: a 12-13 Hit Dice warden beast's call can be equivalent to either a summon nature's ally VI, an empowered summon nature's ally IV, a maximized summon nature's ally III, or an empowered maximized summon nature's ally I.)

Hold Breath (Ex): A whale can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 8 × its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

Ecosense (Su): A warden beast is mystically tied into the ecosystem of its territory (an area up to 10 miles across). The warden beast instantly senses when major changes affect the living creatures of its territory, such as the territory's plants or animals being killed or injured, a flooding river, or a large group of creatures entering its land.

Any effect that opposes divination spells, such as the nondetection spell, will also oppose a warden beast's ecosense. Ecosense can penetrate barriers, but 1 foot of stone, 1 inch of common metal, a thin sheet of lead, or 3 feet of wood or dirt blocks it.

Sense Emotions (Ex): A warden beast can sense strong emotions such as anger, despair, elation, greed, hatred, love, or lust. It can sense such emotions in any intelligent creatures within a 100 ft. radius. This functions like the psionic power empathy. This ability gives the warden beast a +2 insight bonus on Bluff, Diplomacy, Intimidate, or Sense Motive checks against creatures that are susceptible to mind-affecting powers.

Spell-Like Abilities (Sp): At-will—detect snares and pits, entangle (DC 15), protection from evil, summon nature's ally I, cure light wounds (limited to 1/day for any given individual), 3/day—plant growth, 1/day—animal growth (DC 19, the warden beast can use this power on itself), commune with nature. Caster level 10th, the save DCs are Wisdom-based.

Summon Warden Beast (Sp): Once per day, a warden beast can automatically summon another warden beast (with the same base animal). This ability is the equivalent of a spell with a level equal to 2 plus half the warden beast's challenge rating (max spell level 9th). For example, a cachalot whale warden beast will summon a CR 9 cachalot whale warden beast, which is equivalent to a 6th level spell (2 plus half of 9).

Skills: A whale 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. *A whale has a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost if its blindsight is negated.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Outer Planes Appendix (1991).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Death Minnow

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/290367-converting-monsters-dragon-magazine-30.html

Death Minnow, Minnow Form
Fine Magical Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45 hp)
Initiative: +11
Speed: Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 25 (+8 size, +7 Dex), touch 25, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/-15* (+15 with swallow whole)
Attack: Bite +15 melee (improved grab)
Full Attack: Bite +15 melee (improved grab)
Space/Reach: 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, size-switching, swallow whole
Special Qualities: Blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +5
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 24, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +23, Listen +11*, Move Silently +8, Spot +11*, Swim +15
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Fine); 13-24 HD (Diminutive)
Level Adjustment: —

Death Minnow, Monster Form
Large Magical Beast (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Swim 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 12 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+15
Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+7 plus improved grab)
Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+7 plus improved grab)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Improved grab, size-switching, swallow whole
Special Qualities: Blindsight 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +5
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 14, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 10
Skills: Hide -2, Listen +11*, Move Silently +3, Spot +11*, Swim +13
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 7-12 HD (Large); 13-24 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

This bright orange fish is the size of a human's little finger.

Death minnows are artificial creatures, fashioned by unknown undersea spellcasters to guard their wealth and secrets. There are no "wild" populations of death minnows, and they are only ever encountered guarding a site or object. Death minnows are living fish but do not (or cannot) breed. Indeed, it is uncertain whether they even have male and female sexes.

Death minnows will attack any dangerous intruder who enters an area they're set to guard, whether animal predator or adventurers. They can go for extraordinary lengths of time between meals, since they can have the appetite of a minnow and the stomach capacity of a giant angler fish.

This magical beast has the supernatural ability to shrink to the size of a minnow, together with anything it has swallowed. Its natural size is a monstrous fish resembling a giant grouper, with the ugly head and protruding lips of an angler fish; this monster form is typically 8 feet long and weighs about 500 pounds. In minnow form it averages 2 inches long and weighs a fraction of an ounce.

COMBAT
A death minnow masquerades as an innocuous little fish, switching to monstrous size for the split-second it needs to attack, then instantly shrinking again. A death minnow seeks to gulp down intruders one by one, trying to swim up behind a victim and swallow them when none of their allies are watching. If a death minnow fails to swallow a victim it will usually release them and shrink to Fine size rather than remain in monster form and make another attempt the next round, since this reduces its exposure to attack.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a death minnow must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can immediately attempt to swallow the foe as a free action.

Size-Switching (Su): A death minnow can instantaneously switch its size as often and whenever it desires, switching between a Fine minnow and a Large monstrous fish. Anything the death minnow swallows in monster form will be reduced in size when the fish shrinks to Fine size.

The Large form is the death minnow's natural size; thus, a true seeing spell will reveal the minnow in its Large monster form. If a death minnow is slain while in minnow form it reverts to its natural size, together with anything it had swallowed. A swallowed opponent interacts with the death minnow as if both are their natural sizes. Further, a victim who escapes being swallowed instantanly reverts to natural size.

If a dispel magic or break enchantment spell targets a death minnow, it must succeed on a Will save or be forced to assume its monster form for 2d6 rounds. A death minnow within an anti-magic area is similarly forced to take its monster form.

Swallow Whole (Ex): A death minnow can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of a smaller size than its monster form by making a successful grapple check. A death minnow always uses its monster form's grapple modifier to make swallow whole checks, since it switches to its larger size for the brief moment it makes the swallowing attempt. This attack is so sudden the victim just seems to vanish. Any creature able to see the victim must succeed at a Spot check against a DC of 30 to notice the death minnow appear and swallow its opponent (DC 10 if the observer is closely watching the victim during the swallowing); those who fail this Spot check did not see why the minnow's victim just vanished.

Once swallowed, the opponent takes 2d6+7 points of crushing damage plus 6 points of acid damage per round from the minnow's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 15 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 10). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Large death minnow's interior can hold 2 Medium, 8 Small, 32 Tiny, 128 Diminutive, or 512 Fine opponents.

Skills: A death minnow 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. Death minnows use either their Dexterity or Strength modifier for Swim checks, whichever is better.

*A death minnow has pressure-sensitive lateral lines that grant it a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost if its blindsight is negated.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #235 (1996).
 

Shade

Monster Junkie
Werelion

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...version-thread-lycanthropes-their-ilk-11.html

Werelion, Human Form
Medium Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 5d8+15 (43 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 natural, +3 studded leather armor), touch 10, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+5
Attack: Spear +5 melee (1d8+1/×3); or shortsword +5 melee (1d6+1/19-20); or spear +4 ranged (1d8+1/×3)
Full Attack: Spear +5 melee (1d8+1/×3); or shortsword +5 melee (1d6+1/19-20); or spear +4 ranged (1d8+1/×3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Alternate form, lion empathy, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +3
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Balance -1, Handle Animal +2*, Hide +0, Intimidate +2*, Jump +2, Listen +4, Move Silently +2, Spot +4
(includes -1 armor check penalty)
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Run
Environment: Warm plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, pride (6-10), or troupe (2-4 plus 6-10 lions)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful, usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

Werelion, Lion Form
]Large Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 5d8+15 (43 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+14
Attack: Claw +9 melee (1d4+6)
Full Attack: 2 claws +9 melee (1d4+6) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of lycanthropy, improved grab, pounce, rake 1d4+3
Special Qualities: Alternate form, lion empathy, damage reduction 10/silver, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +7, Handle Animal +2*, Hide +4*, Intimidate +2*, Jump +12, Listen +4, Move Silently +10, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Run
Environment: Warm plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, pride (6-10), or troupe (2-4 plus 6-10 lions)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful, usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

Werelion, Hybrid Form
Large Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 5d8+15 (43 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+14
Attack: Spear +9 melee (2d6+9/×3); or shortsword +9 melee (1d8+6/19-20); or claw +9 melee (1d4+6); or spear +6 ranged (2d6+6/×3)
Full Attack: Spear +9 melee (2d6+9/×3) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or shortssword +9 melee (1d8+6/19-20) and claw +4 melee (1d6+3) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or 2 claws +9 melee (1d6+6) and bite +4 melee (1d8+3); or spear +6 ranged (2d6+6/×3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of lycanthropy
Special Qualities: Alternate form, lion empathy, damage reduction 10/silver, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 23, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +7, Handle Animal +2*, Hide +4*, Intimidate +2*, Jump +8, Listen +4, Move Silently +10, Spot +4
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Run
Environment: Warm plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, pride (6-10), or troupe (2-4 plus 6-10 lions)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful, usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

This powerfully built creature has the fur, claws and magnificent head of a lion, but the limbs and figure of a humanoid. Its wiry build and sinewy muscles suggest a whiplash speed and athleticism. The being's eyes are like a lion, but far brighter.

Werelions in humanoid form possess wiry but muscular builds and are heavily tanned. Werelions have thick, tawny or yellow hair, although a few werelions have black hair. Male werelions traditionally grow their hair long, like a lion's mane, which some werelions tie back or cover with a turban. Females, or werelionesses, traditionally keep their hair short when in human form, sometimes appearing almost shaved. Both sexes usually dress like hunters in simple garments of skin and fur that are easy to remove, repair, or replace.

Werelions speak with deep and melodious voices; in lion form, they have a deeper roar than mundane lions.

The werelion presented here is a 1st-level human warrior and natural lycanthrope, using the following base ability scores: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8.

COMBAT

A werelion usually fights in lion form so it can use its pounce, improved grab and rake special attacks. When fighting in hybrid form, they favour their claws and fangs over weapons. Werelions try to ambush opponents from behind, and will run away from a losing fight. If asked, a werelion would probably insist such strategies are a matter of sophisticated strategy rather than cowardice, since they are often proud creatures with an exaggerated sense of their own dignity.

Alternate Form (Su): A werelion can assume the form of a lion or a lion-humanoid hybrid.

Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid or giant hit by a werelion’s bite attack in animal or hybrid form must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy.

Pounce (Ex): If a werelion in animal form charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a werelion in animal form must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +9 melee, damage 1d4+3.

Lion Empathy (Ex): Communicate with lions and dire lions, and +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks against lions and dire lions.

Skills: A werelion in animal or hybrid form has a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Hide, and Move Silently checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, this Hide bonus improves to +12.

Dire Werelion
This uses the dire lycanthrope template.

Dire Werelion, Human Form
Medium Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 8d8+32 (73 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 natural, +3 studded leather armor), touch 10, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+8
Attack: Spear +8 melee (1d8+1/×3); or shortsword +8 melee (1d6+1/19-20); or spear +7 ranged (1d8+1/×3)
Full Attack: Spear +8 melee (1d8+1/×3); or shortsword +8 melee (1d6+1/19-20); or spear +7 ranged (1d8+1/×3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Alternate form, lion empathy, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +8
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Handle Animal +3*, Hide +1, Intimidate +3*, Jump +0, Listen +7, Move Silently +3, Spot +7
(includes -1 armor check penalty)
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Multiattack (B), Run, Weapon Focus (claw)
Environment: Warm plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, pride (6-10), or troupe (2-4 plus 6-10 dire lions)
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful, usually evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

Dire Werelion, Dire Lion Form
Large Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 8d8+32 (73 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+19
Attack: Claw +15 melee (1d6+8)
Full Attack: 2 claws +15 melee (1d6+8) and bite +12 melee (1d8+4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of lycanthropy, improved grab, pounce, rake 1d6+4
Special Qualities: Alternate form, lion empathy, damage reduction 10/silver, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +8
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Handle Animal +3*, Hide +4*, Intimidate +3*, Jump +12, Listen +7, Move Silently +10, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Multiattack (B), Run, Weapon Focus (claw)
Environment: Warm plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, pride (6-10), or troupe (2-4 plus 6-10 dire lions)
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful, usually evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

Dire Werelion, Hybrid Form
Large Humanoid (Human, Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 plus 8d8+32 (73 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +6 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+19
Attack: Spear +14 melee (2d6+12/×3); or shortsword +14 melee (1d8+8/19-20); or claw +15 melee (1d6+8); or spear +8 ranged (2d6+8/×3)
Full Attack: Spear +14 melee (2d6+12/×3) and bite +12 melee (1d8+4); or shortssword +14 melee (1d8+8/19-20) and claw +13 melee (1d6+4) and bite +12 melee (1d8+4); or 2 claws +15 melee (1d6+8) and bite +12 melee (1d8+4); or spear +8 ranged (2d6+8/×3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Curse of lycanthropy, improved grab, pounce, rake 1d6+4
Special Qualities: Alternate form, lion empathy, damage reduction 10/silver, low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +8
Abilities: Str 27, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Handle Animal +3*, Hide +4*, Intimidate +3*, Jump +8, Listen +7, Move Silently +10, Spot +7
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will (B), Multiattack (B), Run, Weapon Focus (claw)
Environment: Warm plains
Organization: Solitary, pair, pride (6-10), or troupe (2-4 plus 6-10 dire lions)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful, usually evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +3

This powerfully built creature has the fur, claws and magnificent head of a lion, but the limbs and figure of a humanoid. Its wiry build and sinewy muscles suggest a whiplash speed and athleticism. The being's eyes are like a lion, but far brighter.

Dire werelions in humanoid form possess wiry but muscular builds and are heavily tanned. Werelions have thick, tawny or yellow hair, although a few werelions have black hair. Male werelions traditionally grow their hair long, like a lion's mane, which some werelions tie back or cover with a turban. Females, or werelionesses, traditionally keep their hair short when in human form, sometimes appearing almost shaved. Both sexes usually dress like hunters in simple garments of skin and fur that are easy to remove, repair, or replace.

In lion form, dire werelions appear as preternaturally large lions with unusually bright eyes. They speak with deep and melodious voices, and have a deeper roar than a normal lion.

Dire werelions prefer humanoid company to that of animals. They sometimes strike bargains to serve humanoids as wilderness scouts or caravan guards in return for various rewards, which usually include hunting rights. Their sociability should not be relied on, for dire werelions attack humanoids far more readily than normal lions do, and many of them are man-eaters. However, dire werelions rarely attack people they've struck bargains with. They are creatures of their word who almost always honor a deal, unless they believe the other party has broken the terms.

The dire werelion presented here is a 1st-level human warrior and natural lycanthrope, using the following base ability scores: Str 13, Dex 11, Con 12, Int 10, Wis 11, Cha 8.

COMBAT

A dire werelion prefers to fight in hybrid form. They favour their claws and fangs over weapons, since they allow it to use its pounce, improved grab and rake special attacks. Dire werelions generally drive or lure their prey into ambushes, as they are masters at stealth and deception. They will run away from a losing fight. If asked, a werelion would insist such strategies are a matter of sophisticated tactics rather than cowardice, since they are proud creatures with an exaggerated sense of their own dignity.

Alternate Form (Su): A dire werelion can assume the form of a dire lion or a lion-humanoid hybrid.

Curse of Lycanthropy (Su): Any humanoid or giant hit by a dire werelion’s bite attack in animal or hybrid form must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or contract lycanthropy.

Pounce (Ex): If a dire werelion in animal or hybrid form charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a dire werelion in animal or hybrid form must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake.

Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +15 melee, damage 1d6+4.

Lion Empathy (Ex): Communicate with lions and dire lions, and +4 racial bonus on Charisma-based checks against lions and dire lions.

Skills: A dire werelion in animal or hybrid form has a +4 racial bonus on Hide, and Move Silently checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, this Hide bonus improves to +12.

In Zakhara
Almost all werelions in Zakhara are dire werelions. Their society is matriarchal, with each pride ruled by a werelioness whose authority is unquestioned. The male werelions may brag or be lackadaisical in their duties, but they never disobey their matriarch. Large prides of Zakharan dire werelions are usually split into two groups, one led by the matriarch and the other by her chief consort.


Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #40 (1980).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Dog, Coyote

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-converting-monsters-dungeon-magazine-38.html

Dog, Coyote
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–5
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d4-1)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d4-1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +13, Listen +5, Spot +5, Survival +3*
Feats: Endurance (B), Track (B), Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary, pair or family (2–8)
Challenge Rating: 1/4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

This wild canine resembles a long-legged wolf, but smaller.

Coyotes are a small species of wild dog. They are highly adaptable, and can live in almost any sort of terrain, even scavenging for food in areas settled by humanoids. These predators occasionally kill small herd animals such as goats, but mostly eat rodents, birds, other small animals, and berries.

A typical coyote is 2½ feet long (not including tail), stands 2 feet high at the shoulder, and weighs about 30 pounds.

COMBAT

Coyotes normally flee from threats. They bite if forced to fight.

Skills: A coyote has a +4 racial bonus to Jump, Listen, and Spot checks. *Coyotes have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #102 (1985).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Lizardfolk, Cayman

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...converting-original-d-d-mystara-monsters.html

Lizardfolk, Cayman
Tiny Humanoid (Reptilian)
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+2 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-8
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d3) or short sword +2 melee (1d4/19-20) or spear +2 melee (1d4/x3) or spear +4 ranged (1d4/x3)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d3); or short sword +2 melee (1d4/19-20) and bite -3 melee (1d3); or spear +2 melee (1d4/x3) and bite -3 melee (1d3); or spear +4 ranged (1d4/x3)
Space/Reach: 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Darkvision 90 ft., hold breath, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +6, Handle Animal +3, Hide +10, Jump +4, Move Silently +6, Ride +4, Survival +3, Swim +4
Feats: Animal Affinity
Environment: Temperate or warm forests and marshes
Organization: Gang (2–3), band (6–10 plus 1 leader of 3rd–6th level plus 2-12 riding lizards), or village (30–60 plus 50% noncombatants and 2 lieutenants of 3rd–6th level and 1 leader of 4th–10th level plus 10-60 riding lizards plus 1-4 aurochs)
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Treasure: 50% coins; 25% goods; 25% items
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +1

This foot-tall reptilian humanoid has rough brown skin and pupil-less black eyes.

Caymen are smaller offshoots of the lizardfolk race. They dwell in underground villages of tunnels and chambers 1 to 2 feet high. They protect these lairs with palisades of packed dirt and woven reeds. Caymen tribes are led by a shaman, usually the eldest member of the tribe. Caymen warriors wear bone and feather headdresses, with more elaborate headdresses indicating greater prowess. Caymen warriors avoid wearing such adornments in battle, not wishing to alert the enemy to their superior abilities.

Cayman are skilled riders, and often use mounts in battle. Most cayman use cayman riding lizards (see below) for mounts, but wealthy or high ranking cayman ride aurochs. Cayman sometimes domesticate smaller species of dinosaurs or other ancient reptiles, such as euparkeria or protoceratops, if the tribe dwells in a region with such creatures.

Caymen get along well with gnomes and tolerate other lizardfold. They are often enslaved by evil subterranean races such as kuo-toa and drow.

Caymen enjoy eating giant-sized reptiles and amphibians but sometimes fall prey themselves to large predators. They make reliable guides in swamps.

A cayman stands 1 to 2 feet tall with green or brown scales. A cayman can weigh from 8 to 15 pounds. Caymen have a lifespan of around 40 years, with the eldest shamans exceeding 60 years.

Caymen speak Draconic and Common.

The cayman warrior presented here had the following ability scores before racial adjustments: Str 12, Dex 13, Con 11, Int 10, Wis 9, Cha 8.

COMBAT

Caymen usually avoid conflict, except in self-defense or when protecting their villages, territory, or food sources. When pressed, they use bone weapons, usually grooka (shortswords) and boks (spears). In general, caymen prefer ambush and hit-and-run attacks rather than direct assaults.

Skills: Caymen have a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently and Survival checks. Because of their tails, shazak have a +4 racial bonus on Balance, Jump, and Swim checks.

Caymen As Characters
Most caymen leaders are rogues. A cayman cleric has access to two of the following domains: Animal, Luck, Scalykind, Strength or Travel.

Cayman characters possess the following racial traits.
  • -2 Strength, +2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution
  • Tiny size. +2 bonus to Armor Class, +2 bonus on attack rolls, +8 bonus on Hide checks, -8 penalty on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits 1/2 those of Medium characters. Tiny characters have a reach of 0 ft., and must move into an opponent's space to make a melee attack (and take an attack of opportunity when doing so).
  • A cayman's base land speed is 30 feet.
  • Weapon and Armor Proficiency: A cayman is automatically proficient with simple weapons and shields.
  • Darkvision 90 ft., low-light vision.
  • Special Qualities (see above): Hold breath.
  • Automatic Languages: Common, Draconic. Bonus Languages: Aquan, Gnoll, Orc, Undercommon?
  • Favored Class: Rogue.
  • Level adjustment +1.

Cayman Riding Lizard
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+1 (5 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-12
Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d4)
Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d4)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +4, Will +0
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 15, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Listen +3, Spot +3
Feats: Run, Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Warm forests
Organization: Solitary or herd (2-20)
Challenge Rating: 1/4
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

This lizard resembles a yard-long iguana with unusually long legs and a shortened tail.

Riding lizards are herbivorous reptiles of unusual intelligence and sociability that can be trained as mounts or beasts of burden. Their small size means they are mostly used by tiny humanoids, especially the Cayman lizardfolk.

A riding lizard is 2 to 3 feet long (excluding tail) and weighs about 40 pounds.

In Mystara
The shazaks of Mystara live in the Orc's Head Peninsula of the Savage Coast. They were created by the Herathians about about 700 BC, who transformed chameleon men into these primitive lizardfolk. After being set free by the Herathians, they lived in the bayou, but were driven out by their cousins the gurrash lizardfolk and resettled in the Orc's Head woodlands. They still maintain close ties with the Herathians, and often ally with them in defensive wars against incursions by gurrash and rakastan. The Savage Coast shazaks are ruled by a monarch known as the Shaz. Most Mystaran shazak worship Ka.

Originally appeared in Savage Coast Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1996).[/QUOTE]
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Purple Lichen

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/273448-special-conversion-thread-plants-47.html

Purple Lichen (CR 5)
Purple lichen is a parasitic fungoid life form that feeds off psionic energy. It can live in any damp underground area frequented by psionic creatures. Purple lichen may grow on any nonhazardous surface (walls, floor or ceiling), and can grow underwater or floating on subterranean pools. Whenever a psionic creature ends its turn within 10 feet of a patch of purple lichen the lichen will drain 1d10 psionic power points from them (DC 17 Will save to halve this amount). For each 30 points the lichen patch drains, it grows to fill an additional 5-foot square. A 5-foot square patch of purple lichen has 20 hit points but is immune to weapon damage. Purple lichen is rendered dormant by exposure to any bright light, and it is killed instantly by exposure to natural daylight or a daylight spell.

It is rumored that renegade mind flayers developed purple lichen to infect and destroy elder brains; some scholar speculate that purple lichen causes a horrific disease when placed in direct contact with brain matter. (Purple lichen causes a supernatural disease, called purple rot, that only affects psionic creatures with exposed brains that touch a patch of lichen. Purple rot's effects are the same as mummy rot, except the disease's Fortitude DC has a +10 bonus against aberrations with the Psionic subtype. A victim infested with purple rot will have filaments of purple lichen growing in their brain, which will drain power points from the victim and anyone else within 10 feet until the disease is cured.)

Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #33 (1992).
 

Shade

Monster Junkie
Doppleganger, Uran

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...nverting-monsters-polyhedron-magazine-43.html

Doppleganger, Uran
Medium Monstrous Humanoid (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 5d8+5 (27 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+7
Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Slam +7 melee (1d6+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Detect thoughts, mimic equipment
Special Qualities: Alternate form, change shape, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to sleep and charm effects
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +6, Will +7
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 15
Skills: Bluff +12*, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +12* (+14 acting), Intimidate +6, Listen +8, Sense Motive +8, Sleight of Hand +5, Spot +8
Feats: Combat Expertise, Improved Feint
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary, pair, or gang (3–12)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Usually lawful neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +6

This gaunt, gangly humanoid has a featureless face, grey skin, and bulbous eyes.

Uran doppelganger are a stronger and more cunning variety of doppelganger. Their powers of mimicry are superior to a normal dopplegangers, allowing them to mimic the physical abilities and mundane equipment of another creature, not just its appearance. Once an uran mimics a creature's form it can assume that form whenever it desires.

An uran doppelganger's habits are no different from other doppelgangers. They prefer the comfortable existence of urban life, where they can steal victims' identities with less chance of discovery. Common doppelgangers hold urans in great esteem, considering them closer to the revered form of the ultimate shapechanger.

In its natural form a uran doppelganger is identical to a common doppelganger. It stands about 5½ feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds.

Uran doppelgangers speak Common. Most speak several humanoid languages as bonus languages (see Urans as Characters, below).

COMBAT

An uran doppelganger usually fights like whatever creature it is currently mimicking. In its natural form, it strikes with its powerful fists. A hard-pressed uran doppelganger will assume whatever form in its repertoire is most suitable for fight or flight, usually either a heavily armed and armored humanoid warrior or a fleet-footed youth. If the uran has survived an encounter with a powerful monster (such as an ogre, annis hag or gargoyle), it is likely to have learned that monster's form to use in combat.

Alternate Form (Su): A uran doppleganger can assume the form of any Small, Medium or Large giant, humanoid or monstrous humanoid it touches. Uran dopplegangers using Alternate Form can also mimic any equipment their target is carrying (see Mimic Equipment, below). If used in combat, this special ability requires a successful touch attack which does not provoke an attack of opportunity. An uran doppleganger can remember the form of anyone it has previously duplicated, and recall that alternate form at will.

Change Shape (Su): A uran doppelganger can assume the shape of any Small, Medium or Large giant, humanoid or monstrous humanoid.

Detect Thoughts (Su): A uran doppelganger can continuously use detect thoughts as the spell (caster level 18th; Will DC 14 negates). It can suppress or resume this ability as a free action. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Mimic Equipment (Su): A uran doppelganger can mimic organic materials and ordinary stone and metals, but not alchemical compounds or rare metals such as adamantine or mithral. Metal or stone "imitations" last 20 minutes after separation from the doppleganger before disintegrating into powder, while organic objects last 3 hours. A uran doppelganger can only mimic ordinary workmanship, not masterwork or magical items. It can only mimic equipment totaling 20% of its body weight at a given time.

Skills: A uran doppelganger has a +4 racial bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks.

*When using its alternate form ability, a uran doppelganger gets an additional +10 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks. If it can read an opponent’s mind, it gets a further +4 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks.

Uran Doppelgangers As Characters
Uran doppelganger characters possess the following racial traits.
  • +4 Strength, +4 , Dexterity, +2 Constitution, +4 Intelligence, +6 Wisdom, +4 Charisma.
  • Medium size.
  • An uran doppelganger’s base land speed is 30 feet.
  • Darkvision: Uran doppelgangers can see in the dark up to 60 feet.
  • Racial Hit Dice: An uran doppelganger begins with five levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 5d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +5, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +4, and Will +4.
  • Racial Skills: An uran doppelganger’s monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 8 x (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Bluff, Diplomacy, Disguise, Intimidate, Listen, Sense Motive, Sleight of Hand, and Spot.
  • Racial Feats: An uran doppelganger’s monstrous humanoid levels give it two feats.
  • +4 natural armor bonus.
  • +4 racial bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks. When using its change shape ability, a doppelganger gets an additional +10 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks. If it can read an opponent’s mind, it gets a further +4 circumstance bonus on Bluff and Disguise checks.
  • Special Attacks (see above): Detect thoughts, mimic equipment.
  • Special Qualities (see above): Alternate form, change shape, immunity to sleep and charm effects.
  • Automatic Languages: Common. Bonus Languages: Auran, Dwarven, Elven, Gnome, Halfling, Giant, Terran.
  • Favored Class: Rogue.
  • Level adjustment +6.
Originally appeared in Polyhedron #72 (1992).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Farrowdale Mouse

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-converting-forgotten-realms-monsters-15.html

Farrowdale Mouse
Fine Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 1/4d10 (1 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), climb 15 ft.
Armor Class: 20 (+8 size, +2 Dex), touch 20, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/–20
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1 plus poison)
Full Attack: 2 bites +4 melee (1 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 1/2 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Alacrity, poison
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft. low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 14, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 3
Skills: Balance +10, Climb +10, Hide +26, Move Silently +10
Feats: Stealthy
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary, mischief (2-12), or horde (13-100)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

This field mouse sports a pair of curved incisors that continually drip a milky fluid.

Farrowdale mice are venomous predators with blinding speed. They lair in rotten logs and abandoned gopher holes, eating insects and grubs.

A Farrowdale mouse is 4 inches long (plus a 4 inch tail) and weighs less than a pound.

COMBAT

Farrowdale mice are whirlwinds of frenzied activity. They dart after blowing leaves, pounce on blades of grass, and snap at any creature who wanders by, regardless of its size.

Alacrity (Su): When making a full attack action, a Farrowdale mouse may make one extra attack with its bite attack at its highest attack bonus.

Poison (Ex): Injury (bite), Fortitude DC 10; initial damage agonizing pain (-4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks) for 2d6 minutes; secondary damage dazed for 1d4+1 hours. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills: A Farrowdale mouse has a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A Farrowdale mouse can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

In The Realms
In the Forgotten Realms setting, Farrowdale mice are found primarily in their namesake region.

Originally appeared in Elminster’s Ecologies (1994).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Kitsune Kasumi

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...verting-oriental-adventures-creatures-58.html

Kitsune Kasumi
Small Fey
Hit Dice: 2d6 (7 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +3 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+2
Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (1d4+2) and claws +4 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/cold iron or magic, grove dependent, low-light vision, mist form, scent, spell resistance 15
Saves: Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 18, Con 10, Int 11, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills: Balance +6, Bluff +7, Diplomacy +4, Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Hide +13, Intimidate +4, Jump +10, Knowledge (nature) +5, Listen +7, Spot +7, Survival +1 (+3 in aboveground natural environments), Tumble +5
Feats: Alertness, Multiattack (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Any forests
Organization: Solitary or haze (2–24)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 3-6 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: —

This beautiful, pure-white fox has a slim, delicate body. It seems to glide above the forest floor as it walks.

The kitsune kasumi, or “mist foxes,” are minor fey associated with misty places. They nocturnally congregate around dead trees in remote groves and abandoned fields, hiding among the trunks and logs in mist form during the day. If their grove of trees is destroyed, the associated kitsune kasumi will likewise be destroyed, leaving only a faint wisp of mist.

A kitsune kasumi is 3 feet long and weighs 10 to 20 pounds.

COMBAT

Kitsune kasumi are highly territorial, defending their groves with relentless fury. Kitsune kasumi use their ability to slip in and out of mist form to tactical advantage.

A kitsune kasumi's bite and claws are +2 magic weapons, but their power fades if removed or if the kitsune kasumi is killed.

Grove Dependent (Su): A kitsune kasumi is mystically bound to a grove of trees. The grove always has at least one dead tree (standing or fallen) as well as living trees. Kitsune kasumi sicken and die if all of the trees in the grove are destroyed. Multiple kitsune kasumi can be dependent on a single grove, forming a family group called a haze. A kitsune's grove does not radiate magic.

Mist Form (Ex): A kitsuni kasumi can turn its body into mist, at will, as a swift action. It can return to solid form as an immediate action. A kitsuni kasumi's mist form is almost indistinguishable to its solid form, it requires a DC 25 Spot check to determine whether a kitsuni kasumi is solid or vapour.

A kitsuni kasumi in mist form gains the same benefits as a creature in gaseous form (as the spell), except it can make run actions and cannot fly, but floats just above the ground. As a result, it is not subject to ground terrain effects, such as ice or a grease spell, but it is subject to winds as if it were a flying creature.

In mist form, a kitsuni kasumi moves silently and cannot be heard with Listen checks if it doesn't wish to be.

Skills: A kitsuni kasumi has a +2 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks, and a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks.

Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #81 (2000).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Stone Snake

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-second-edition-monstrous-compendiums-72.html

Stone Snake
Large Magical Beast (Earth)
Hit Dice: 8d10+16 (60 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft.
Armor Class: 22 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +12 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+17
Attack: Slam +13 melee (2d10+7/19-20) or bite +12 melee (1d8+5 plus petrifying venom)
Full Attack: Slam +13 melee (2d10+7/19-20) or bite +12 melee (1d8+5 plus petrifying venom)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Petrifying venom
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 10/bludgeoning, immunity to fire, immunity to poison, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 13, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Balance +9, Climb +13, Hide +8, Listen +7, Spot +7
Feats: Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (slam)
Environment: Subterranean
Organization: Solitary or pair
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: Triple goods (gems only)
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 9-12 HD (Large); 13-24 (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

The thick hide of this large serpent's segmented body looks like granite.

Stone snakes get their name because their bodies are made up of a stony mineral, and because their bite can turn living creatures into stone.

A stone snake eats mineral matter, mostly by scavenging from crystalline formations underground. However, it prefers to eat prey it has petrified with its venom. The snake drags prey off to its lair and then slowly swallows it whole, digesting the meal over the course of several days. If a petrified victim is too big to swallow, the stone snake smashes it to pieces with blows from its snout. A stone snake is unable to digest certain types of gems, and such gemstones can often be found among the refuse in a stone snake's lair.

Stone snakes are encountered individually or in mated pairs. Female stone snakes lay 1-6 eggs in early fall, and then guard their nest while the male provides food. The eggs share the parents' coloration and are about 1½ feet long. Newly hatched young are alabaster white; they slowly develop camouflaging hues over their first six months, then are driven from the nest to survive on their own.

A typical stone snake is 20 to 25 feet long and weighs 1200 to 1500 pounds. Coloration matches most kinds of granite, ranging from eggshell to rosy pink, with striations of mauve to black.

COMBAT

A stone snake usually hides and waits for potential prey to approach it, then attacks with a lightning-quick jab of its blunt, stony snout or a bite with its petrifying fangs. It adds 1½ times its Strength bonus to the damage of this slam attack.

Petrifying Venom (Su): A stone snake's bite injects a virulent supernatural poison (DC 20 Fort save). The initial damage slows the victim (as the spell) for 1d4+1 minutes, the secondary damage permanently turns the victim to stone. Effects that resist poison, such as the delay poison spell, antitoxin or a dwarf's resistance to poison, will affect a stone snake's petrifying venom as if it were mundane poison. Petrifying venom can be treated with the Heal skill as if it were poison, but with a -5 penalty on the skill check. A petrified victim can only be returned to normal by a stone to flesh spell or similar magic. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.

Skills: Stone snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A stone 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.

Originally appeared in Dragon Mountain (1993).
 

Shade

Monster Junkie
Fire Phantom

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...neric-setting-second-edition-monsters-35.html

Fire Phantom
Medium Elemental (Fire, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+3 Dex, +2 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+1
Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d8 plus 1d4 fire)
Full Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d8 plus 1d4 fire)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Burn
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to fire, subservient to fire, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +6, Will +0
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 6, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Listen +2, Spot +3
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Improved Initiative (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Elemental Plane of Fire
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

This vaguely humanoid figure appears to be formed of fire. The bulk of its flames are green-blue and translucent, but hot streaks of red or orange occasionally burn through its body.

Fire phantoms are among the weakest of the elemental creatures on the Elemental Plane of Fire. They obey or flee from more powerful fire elementals. Fire phantoms can be summoned to the material plane using the summon fire phantom spell, but more powerful fire elementals can easily dismiss a summoned fire phantom back to its native plane due to their subservience to flame creatures.

There are conflicting explanations as to why they are called fire phantoms. It may be because their eldritch green-blue colour matches the natural atmospheric phenomena known as "ghostlights" or "corpse candles". Some scholars believe they are called phantoms because they're not fully formed fire elementals, having been born in areas of the Elemental Plane of Fire where the fire energies are weak and diluted. A few sages theorize they are masses of elemental fire that have absorbed the psychic "impressions" or "residue" of fire elementals and thus animated. The latter theory would explain their subservience to the will of true fire elementals.

A fire phantom is 7 feet tall and weighs about 2 pounds.

Fire phantoms speak Ignan.

COMBAT

Fire phantoms are unsophisticated combatants. They close with their opponents as quickly as possible and attack with blows of their flaming limbs.

Burn (Ex): A fire phantom's slam attack deals bludgeoning damage plus fire damage from the phantom's flaming body. Those hit by a fire phantom's slam attack also must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex save or catch on fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds. A burning creature can take a move action to put out the flame. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Creatures hitting a fire phantom with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the phantom's attack, and also catch on fire unless they succeed on a Reflex save.

Subservient to Fire (Su): A fire phantom is so tied to the Elemental Plane of Fire that it can be banished, rebuked or controlled by other elementals of the Fire subtype, provided those elementals have more HD than the fire phantom. The other elemental may rebuke or command the fire phantom as a cleric of its hit dice; the fire phantom resists as an undead with +2 turn resistance. If a fire elemental rebukes a fire phantom outside its native plane, the fire phantom is banished home to the Elemental Plane of Fire.

Summon Fire Phantom
Conjuration (Fire, Summoning)
Level: Brd 3, Clr 3, Drd 2, Rgr 2, Sor/Wiz 3
Components: V, S, M/DF
Casting Time: 1 round
Range: 30 ft.
Effect: 1d3+1 summoned creatures
Duration: 3 rounds/level (D)
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

This spell summons 1d3+1 fire phantoms. They appear where you designate and act immediately, on your turn. They attack your opponents to the best of its ability. If you can communicate with a fire phantom (they speak Ignan), you can direct it not to attack, to attack particular enemies, or to perform other actions. The phantoms must always remain within 30 feet of the spellcaster; if any moves beyond this range the spell expires.

Fire phantoms are subservient toward more powerful fire elementals. A fire elemental can easily dismiss a summoned fire phantom back to the elemental plane of fire.

A summoned monster cannot summon or otherwise conjure another creature, nor can it use any teleportation or planar travel abilities. Creatures cannot be summoned into an environment that cannot support them.

Arcane Material Component: A pint of oil which must be poured out and ignited during the casting of the spell.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #123 (1987).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Chaos Sentinel

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...ing-creatures-other-campaign-settings-20.html

Chaos Sentinel
Medium Outsider (Chaos, Evil, Extraplanar, Fire)
Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+4
Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d8+1 plus 1d6 fire)
Full Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d8+1 plus 1d6 fire)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Burn
Special Qualities: Blindsense 30 ft., darkvision 60 ft., hide in flames, immunity to fire, vulnerability to cold
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +3
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 3, Wis 14, Cha 11
Skills: Hide +9*, Listen +12, Spot +12, Tumble +9
Feats: Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative (B), Weapon Finesse (B)
Environment: Any chaotic evil-aligned plane
Organization: Solitary or pack (2-12)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 4-9 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

This fiery being, roughly the size of a human, is formed from opaque flames. Its shape constantly changes. One second it has the form of a mundane animal or humanoid, the next it is a bizarre chimeric creature.

Chaos sentinels are minor entities native to the Chaotic outer planes. Most are minions of powerful beings of Chaos. A chaos sentinel is usually encountered guarding some object or place. The thing they guard may be assigned to them by some master, or the sentinel may have picked it themselves. Chaos sentinels have a powerful desire to guard something, regardless of its value, and they may stand sentinel over items or locations they appear to have picked at random.

A chaos sentinel's shape is as changeable as a flame. It constantly shifts between shapes, ranging from mundane animals and objects to strange monstrous forms, but always formed out of "living fire" - a 3-legged octopus one second, an elf the next, then it looks like a two-headed giant duck or a man-eating wardrobe.

A chaos sentinel's height varies depending on its form, but it averages 5 feet tall. It weighs about 24 pounds.

Chaos sentinels speak Abyssal and Ignan.

COMBAT

A chaos sentinel usually hides in a large fire near whatever it is guarding. As soon as an unauthorized creature approaches its charge, the sentinel charges out and attacks the intruder with blows of its fiery appendages. Chaos sentinels habitually fight to the death.

A chaos sentinel's natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as chaotic-aligned and evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Burn (Ex): A chaos sentinel's slam attack deals bludgeoning damage plus fire damage from the sentinel's flaming body. Those hit by a chaos sentinel's slam attack also must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex save or catch on fire. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds. A burning creature can take a move action to put out the flame. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Creatures hitting a chaos sentinel with natural weapons or unarmed attacks take fire damage as though hit by the sentinel's attack, and also catch on fire unless they succeed on a Reflex save.

Hide in Flames (Ex): A chaos sentinel becomes nearly invisible within a source of fire. If a fire of at least its size is nearby, a chaos sentinel can use the Hide skill even while being observed. Additionally, it gains a +12 racial bonus on Hide checks made within a fire.

Skills: A chaos sentinel has a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks and Spot checks.

*When within a fire source a chaos sentinel gains a +12 racial bonus on Hide checks from its Hide in Flames special ability.

In Krynn
In the Dragonlance campaign setting, chaos sentinels are found in the realms of Chaos, crossing into Krynn through the Cavern of Firebirth, which contains a vent that extends through the bedrock of Krynn right into the realms of Chaos.

Originally appeared in Seeds of Chaos (1998).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Aurochs

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/294285-converting-prehistoric-creatures-22.html

Aurochs
Large Animal
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (45 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (–1 size, +4 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+14
Attack: Gore +9 melee (1d8+9)
Full Attack: Gore +9 melee (1d8+9)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Stampede, trample 1d10+9
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 11, Cha 4
Skills: Listen +7, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Diehard, Endurance
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary or herd (6–30)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 7-8 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

This large black bull has a pale stripe down its spine. Its lyre-shaped horns are set at a forward angle.

Aurochs prefer swampy and wet wooded areas. They feed primarily on green grass and leaves, supplemented with occasional tree fruits.

Aurochs stand 5 to 6 feet tall at the shoulder, are 10 to 12 feet long, and weigh 1,500 to 2,500 pounds.

COMBAT

Aurochs are much more aggressive than typical cattle, trampling smaller creatures and goring larger foes with their impressive horns.

Stampede (Ex): A frightened herd of aurochs flees as a group in a random direction (but always away from the perceived source of danger). They literally run over anything of Large size or smaller that gets in their way, dealing 1d12 points of damage for each five aurochs in the herd (Reflex DC 19 half). The save DC is Strength-based.

Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 18. The save DC is Strength-based.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #137 (1988).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Dog, Dhole

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-converting-monsters-dungeon-magazine-38.html

Dog, Dhole
Small Animal
Hit Dice: 1d8+2 (6 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +1 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/–3
Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Full Attack: Bite +2 melee (1d4+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: —
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 6
Skills: Jump +9, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +5, Survival +1*
Feats: Alertness, Endurance (B), Track (B)
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary, pair, pack (3-6) or clan (5–50)
Challenge Rating: 1/3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

This small dog has reddish fur with a white underside. It is long-limbed for its size.

Dholes are highly social canids that live in large clans, which may include many dozen animals. The clan may hunt together, or split into several "hunting packs", depending on the circumstances. Dholes will hunt a wide range of animals, but specialize in big herbivores such as wild boar, antelope, or buffalo.

Dholes dig dens to raise their young in, typically in a dry riverbed or under an area of scrub. A dhole den can range from a simple hole or a re-purposed porcupine lair, to an elaborate network of interconnecting tunnels and chambers, with many entrances. The larger dens often accommodates multiple dhole mothers and their pups. A clan of dholes may use an ancestral den site which has been slowly expanded over many generations.

Dhole packs maintain frequent communication when hunting or travelling. They use whistling "coo-coo" sounds to guide each other through difficult terrain. When attacking prey, their screams sound like "KaKaKaKaa".

A typical dhole is 3 feet long (not including tail) and stands 18 to 22 inches tall at the shoulder. It weighs 30 to 40 pounds.

COMBAT

Dholes are afraid of humanoids and avoid them whenever possible. They show little fear of other animals, and use pack tactics to hunt animals far stronger than an individual dhole. In exceptional cases, a clan of dholes will unite to kill creatures as powerful as bears, leopards, elephants or tigers, even though a bear or tiger can kill a dozen dholes before being slain.

Dholes usually chase their prey to exhaustion and then attack from all sides simultaneously, making much use of flanking attacks and Aid Another actions. Dholes are good swimmers, and often chase prey into water to limit their victim's movement.

Dholes are ferocious and tenacious fighters, and a pack or clan may endure many casualties before deciding to retreat.

Skills: A dhole has a +4 racial bonus to Jump and Swim checks. *Dholes have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #102 (1985).
 

Shade

Monster Junkie
Windigo

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...-converting-monsters-dungeon-magazine-39.html

Windigo
Medium Outsider (Air, Chaotic, Evil, Incorporeal, Native)
Hit Dice: 7d8 (31 hp)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), fly 60 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 15 (+5 Dex), touch 15, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/—
Attack: Incorporeal touch +11 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch +11 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Searing windblast, spell-like abilities, summon mosquito swarm
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., environmental body, fatal claustrophobia, incorporeal traits, skinstealing, summon mosquito swarm, transparent body
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +10, Will +8
Abilities: Str —, Dex 21, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 16
Skills: Balance +7, Bluff +13, Diplomacy +5, Disguise +3 (+5 acting), Hide +15, Intimidate +15, Jump +2 (+4 in environmental body), Knowledge (nature) +13, Listen +13, Move Silently +15, Spot +13, Survival +13 (+15 in aboveground natural environments), Tumble +15
Feats: Improved Initiative, Track, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary or congregation (12-48)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 8-14 HD (Medium); 15-21 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: —

A humanoid-shaped cloud of haze floats nearby, with sky blue eyes that glow faintly from some internal light.

Windigos are vampiric wind spirits found in remote wilderness regions. They are extremely territorial, but are in a constant state of retreat from the ever-advancing tide of civilization. Whenever a windigo is driven deeper into the wilderness, it leaves behind a persistent plague of mosquitoes that torments the invading settlers. According to legend, windigos fathered the mosquito species as an act of revenge against humanoid races.

Roughly once every three centuries, a few dozen windigo congregate at the site of an epic winter storm. This event, seemingly religious in nature, entails the wind spirits dancing throughout the storm while chanting in their hallow, gusty voices. Aside from this dark ritual, windigos are never found in groups.

A windigo is 7 feet tall and weightless.

Windigos speak Auran, Common and Sylvan in a voice the sounds like a cacophany of fleeting whispers that originates from all directions at once.

COMBAT

A windigo uses its transparent body and ghostly silence to stalk prey. Only after thoroughly terrorizing its prey does it attack, forming a physical body out of its nearby environment. It uses its searing blast as often as possible, attempting to catch as many victims with the area of effect. If a windigo successfully picks off a straggler from a group, it wears the victims skin and attempts to infiltrate the group to create havoc among them.

A common tactic of these evil wind spirits is to flit in and out of the trees behind a group of travelers, only to disappear when someone looks back. After heightening its victims’ paranoia, the windigo begins to call softly to the travelers, so softly that its voice can barely be distinguished from a slight breeze. Only after the group is driven into a panic-induced frenzy fo cursing or running does a windigo attack. A survivor of such an attack is typically left with intense agoraphobia, breaking out into a cold sweat when the wind is heard rustling through the treetops.

A windigo's natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as chaotic-aligned and evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Environmental Body (Ex): A windigo can form a physical body for itself out of leaves, dirt, rocks or any other small loose objects lying in its vicinity. While in this form, the windigo loses its incorporeal subtype and its transparent body special quality, but it gains two claw attacks that deal 1d6 damage each, a natural armor bonus, and a Strength score of 15. Forming an environmental body requires a move action; the windigo can revert to its natural incorporeal form as a swift action. The natural armor bonus of the body depends on the hardness of its materials, according to the following table:

+0 NA Snow/Dust
+1 NA Leaves/Grass
+2 NA Wood
+3 NA Sand/Earth/Soil
+4 NA Stone
+5 NA Metal

Typically, a windigo will form an environmental body out of sand or soil, giving it the following statistics (those not listed are the same as the windigo's incorporeal form).

Medium Outsider (Air, Chaotic, Evil, Native)
Armor Class: 18 (+5 Dex, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+9
Attack: Claw +9 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: Two claws +9 melee (1d6+2)
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 21, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 17, Cha 16
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., environmental body, fatal claustrophobia, incorporeal traits, skinstealing, summon mosquito swarm

Fatal Claustrophobia (Ex): Windigos are so extraordinarily claustrophobic they quickly die in any enclosed space. Entering an area cut off from the open sky (such as a building's interior, a cave, or even a dense forest canopy) disorients a windigo: It can take only a single move action or attack action and is destroyed utterly in the next round if it cannot escape.

Searing Windblast (Su): Once every 1d4 rounds, a windigo may unleash a 20-foot-radius burst of searing wind. The windblast deals 5d6 points of fire damage to all creatures in the area and knocks Medium-sized or smaller creatures prone. A successful DC 16 Reflex save halves the damage, and avoids being knocked prone. Additionally, creatures within the area must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Skinstealing (Ex): If a windigo personally kills a humanoid within one size category of its own size, it can steal that humanoid's skin as a full-round action. A windigo wearing a stolen skin takes on its victim's appearance, voice, and physical abilities as per the alternate form special ability. It loses its incorporeal subtype and transparent body special quality. The windigo is effectively disguised as the individual whose skin it has stolen (with a +10 bonus on its Disguise checks). A windigo can wear a stolen skin for up to 1 hour, whereupon the skin starts to rip and fray, returning the windigo to its true form. A windigo cannot take off a stolen skin without tearing and ruining it.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—gust of wind (DC 15), whispering wind. Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Summon Mosquito Swarm (Sp): Once per day, a windogo can summon a swarm of mosquitoes. This functions like a summon swarm spell, except it summons a mosquito swarm (see below) and is equivalent to a 1st-level spell (CL 3rd).

Mosquito Swarm
Fine Vermin (Swarm)
Hit Dice: 3d8-3 (10 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 5 ft. (1 square), fly 40 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 22 (+8 size, +4 Dex), touch 22, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/—
Attack: Swarm (1d6)
Full Attack: Swarm (1d6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./0 ft.
Special Attacks: Blood drain, distraction
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immune to weapon damage, swarm traits, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 1, Dex 19, Con 8, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 2
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +4
Feats: —
Challenge Rating: 2
Alignment: Always neutral

Blood Drain (Ex): A mosquito swarm deals 1 points of Con damage to any creature whose space it occupies at the end of its move. Once a swarm has dealt 4 points of Constitution damage, it is sated and flies off to digest the meal. If its victim dies before the mosquito swarm's has been sated, the swarm seeks a new target.

Distraction (Ex): Any living creature that begins its turn with a swarm in its space must succeed on a DC 11 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1 round. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills: A mosquito swarm has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.

Transparent Body (Ex): Due to its transparent body, a windigo is very hard to see, even under ideal conditions. At distances greater than 50 feet, a windigo is invisible. Within 50 feet, a creature can notice the presence of an active windigo with a DC 15 Spot check. A windigo that is moving gains a +15 bonus on Hide checks, one that is immobile gains a +30 bonus to Hide checks. A windigo within 50 feet gains concealment (rather than total concealment) against attackers that notice it. This ability is constant, allowing a windigo to remain nearly invisible even when attacking. This transparency is an innate property of the windigo's flesh, so is not subject to the invisibility purge spell. A windigo loses its transparent body when it uses its skinstealing and environmental body special abilities.

Originally appeared in Dungeon Magazine #77 (1999).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Devil Wyrm

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/290367-converting-monsters-dragon-magazine-32.html

Devil Wyrm
Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 7d10+21 (59 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +8 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+17
Attack: Bite +13 melee (2d6+6)
Full Attack: 2 bites +13 melee (2d6+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spit paralyzing acid
Special Qualities: Blind, scent, tremorsense 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +2
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 1, Wis 11, Cha 5
Skills: Hide +2, Listen +4
Feats: Power Attack, Reckless Offense, Weapon Focus (bite)
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary, or squirm (2-16)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 8-12 HD (Large); 13-24 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: —

A pink, fat wormlike creature, a foot-and-a-half in diameter, erupts from a hole in the wall. A serrated maw caps each end of its body, while thick chitin covers the segments between.

Devil wyrms are predatory, subterranean annelids with a taste for humanoid flesh. Whether their origin was actually influenced by denizens of the Nine Hells, as some sages speculate, has never been proven. The creatures demonstrate a diabolical cruelty that would seem to lend credence to such thoughts.

A devil wyrm lairs in a hole in a wall or floor that they dig out with their teeth and corrosive saliva. This dark den contains uneaten remains of the wyrm's prey, which often includes treasure.

A typical devil wyrm is 20 feet long, 1-1/2 feet in diameter, and weighs 1000 pounds.

COMBAT

Devil wyrms like in wait in their lairs, until prey is detected from scent or tremorsense. The creatures then strike swiftly from ambush, biting with their serrated maws. Devil wyrms spit a caustic, paralytic fluid at heavily-armored opponents, or those out of reach of their mouths.

Blind (Ex): Devil wyrms are immune to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.

Spit Paralyzing Acid (Ex): 30-ft. ranged touch (+7 attack modifier, no range increments), damage 3d6 acid plus 2d6 rounds of paralysis (Fortitude DC 16 negates the paralysis). Once a devil wyrm spits acid it must wait 1d4 rounds before it can spit again. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #46 (1981).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Misi

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/295726-converting-spelljammer-creatures-20.html

Misi
Medium Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 5d8 (22 hp)
Initiative: +6
Speed: Fly 30 ft. (6 squares)(perfect)
Armor Class: 20 (+1 size, +6 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 20, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/—
Attack: —
Full Attack: —
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Warp magic
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., dimensional concealment, incorporeal traits, immunity to physcial attacks, spell resistance 13
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +6
Abilities: Str —, Dex 23, Con 10, Int 12, Wis 15, Cha 16
Skills: Autohypnosis +10, Heal +10, Hide +14, Knowledge (arcana) +9, Knowledge (the planes) +9, Listen +10, Spellcraft +11, Spot +10, Survival +10 (+12 on other planes)
Feats: Ability Focus (warp magic), Great Fortitude
Environment: Fourth, Fifth, and Sixth Dimensions
Organization: Solitary or pack (2-6)
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
Advancement: 6-15 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: —

A rainbow-colored scintillation of indistinct shape briefly appears in the air nearby, then vanishes as quickly as it appeared.

Misi exist solely in the fourth, fifth, and sixth dimensions. They cannot see or interact with the first three dimensions any better than natives of those dimension can experience the fourth, fifth, and sixth. They are aware of normal dimensional creatures only as vague shadows, but are innately drawn to the use of magic, upon which they feed.

Because misi do not exist in the typical three dimensions, it is difficult to describe them in terms of length, width, or height. The closest approixmation is 3 feet tall and weightless.

Misi speak their own language that is too incomprehensible for other races to learn.

COMBAT

Misi have no "attacks" in the traditional sense. Rather, a misi (or group of misi) will warp any magic used in their vicinity, often resulting in detriment or death to the spellcaster.

Dimensional Concealment (Ex): Any attempt to notice or target a misi requires a DC 25 Spot check.

Immunity to Physical Attacks (Ex): Misi's have no physical presence on the material world, and cannot be harmed by physical weapons (natural or manufactured). Magical weapons, even weapons with the ghost touch property or another special ability against incorporeal creatures cannot harm a misi. A misi cannot attack other creatures, except through its ability to warp magic.

Warp Magic (Su): As an immediate action, one or more misi can attempt to alter the effects of any spell. Either the spell's caster or a target of the spell must be within 60 ft. of any of the misi in a group. To determine the effects, roll 1d4 and add +1 for each additional misi present:

2 or less - Spell Failure: Spell has no effect and is wasted.
3 - Spell Misdirection: Spell affects random target within range, or within range 60 ft. for spells without a range.
4 - Spell Backfire: Spell affects caster. If the spell is beneficial its effects are reversed - e.g. inflicts damage or penalties instead of healing or giving bonuses. In addition, the caster must succeed on a DC 17 Fort save or be stunned for 1d3 rounds.
5 - Spell Loss: Caster loses 1d4 memorized spells/daily spell slots starting with the highest spell levels.
6-7 - Spell Reversal: Caster is harmed by a spell backfire (see #3) plus the spell has the reverse of the intended effect (e.g. a targeted enemy is healed or given bonuses instead of being harmed or penalized).
8-9 - Casting Loss: Caster must succeed on a DC 17 Will save or lose ability to cast spells for 1d6 hours.
10-11 - Harmful Magic: Caster suffers 10 points of damage per misi, or 1d4 points of damage per misi with a successful DC 17 Fort save.
12+ - Devastation: Caster is affected by both the Casting Loss and Harmful Magic effects. The caster may make separate DC 17 saving throws against each effect.)

The save DCs are Charisma-based. If a group of misi are affected, use the highest Charisma score in the group to determine the base save DC, and add +1 for each additional misi in the group.

In Spelljammer
Misi can occur anyplace – on the surface of a planet, in the depths of wildspace, or even out on the phlogiston ocean. However, mist are almost always seen near spelljammer ships, for they are attracted to the magical emanations associated with the spacefaring craft.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Spelljammer Appendix (1990).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Drow Vampire

http://www.enworld.org/forum/genera...ing-creatures-other-campaign-settings-20.html

Drow Vampire (template)

Out of the corner of your eye, the skin of this exceptionally beautiful dark elf seems to emanate a faint, pearlescent glow. Her wicked smile reveals pearly white fangs.

To be granted the "Kiss of Lolth", as drow refer to vampirism, is one of the highest honors a dark elf can achieve. Drow vampires are viewed with both awe and trepidation by their living kin, who believe undeath unlocks an understanding of the powers that surge through the universe. Such knowledge brings immense power, which the dark elves both crave and respect.

Drow vampires believe themselves the favored of Lolth. As is typical of their matriarchal society, most drow vampires are female.
They occasionally speak with Lolth’s priestesses, but otherwise remain aloof from drow society. Drow vampires are generally reluctant to create progeny, preferring to keep their place in Lolth’s heart as exclusive as possible.

Among the cruelest of the undead, drow vampires delight in causing pain, and particularly enjoy torturing dwarves and drow of different noble factions than their own.

Drow vampires spend years within elaborate underground tombs constructed by drider slaves, who worship them as Lolth's chosen ones. These tombs often serve as temples to Lolth as well as homes for the vampires. The surface of the tombs are often coated with an extremely painful contact poison.

Drow vampires speak any languages they knew in life.

Creating a Drow Vampire
"Drow Vampire" is a template that can be added to any drow (referred to hereafter as the "base creature").

A drow vampire uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented humanoid). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.

Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.

Speed: Same as the base creature. If the base creature has a swim speed, the drow vampire retains the ability to swim and is not vulnerable to immersion in running water (see below).

Armor Class: The base creature’s natural armor bonus improves by +6.

Attack: A drow vampire retains all the attacks of the base creature and also gains two claw attacks if it didn’t already have them. If the base creature can use weapons, the vampire retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. A drow vampire fighting without weapons uses either a claw attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). A drow vampire armed with a weapon uses its claw or a weapon, as it desires.

Full Attack: A drow vampire fighting without weapons uses either its claw attacks (see above) or its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a claw or other natural weapon as a natural secondary attack.

Damage: Drow vampires have claw attacks. If the base creature does not have this attack form, use the appropriate damage value from the table below according to the vampire’s size. Creatures that have other kinds of natural weapons retain their old damage values or use the appropriate value from the table below, whichever is better.

Size Damage
Fine 1
Diminutive 1d2
Tiny 1d3
Small 1d4
Medium 1d6
Large 1d8
Huge 2d6
Gargantuan 2d8
Colossal 4d6


Special Attacks: A drow vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 vampire’s HD + vampire’s Cha modifier unless noted otherwise.

Awe (Su): Once a minute, a drow vampire may create an aura that can deeply affect mortals. It does this merely by making some dramatic gesture, such as baring its fangs or letting out a commanding cry. Creatures that can see the drow vampire must succeed on a DC X Will save to avoid the effects. A creature that succeeds on its saving throw becomes immune to that vampire's awe for 24 hours. This awe is a mind-affecting effect that lasts for 2d4 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based.

A drow vampire can choose either of the following effects each round as a free action while its awe power is in effect:

Daze: Affected beings just stare at the drow vampire in fascination. Awed creatures may defend themselves normally, but can take no actions. If a creature is attacked physically, it will recover in the following round.

Fright: Affected beings become shaken and suffer a –2 morale penalty on attack rolls, saves, and checks. The merest glance or gesture from the drow vampire makes them frightened, and they flee as quickly as they can, although they can choose the path of their flight.

Blood Drain (Ex): Any living creature struck by a drow vampire's natural weapons suffers 1d3 points of Constitution Drain (or 1d6 Con drain with its fangs). To drain blood with its fangs, a drow vampire must hit with a bite attack (such as that possessed by its Alternative Form of a spider), or make a successful grapple check (in which case it drains 1d6 Con for every round it can maintain a pin). For each point of Constitution drained, the drow vampire gains 2 temporary hit points.

Children of the Spider Queen (Su): Drow vampires command the monstrous arachnids of the world and once per day can call forth 1d6+1 spider swarms, 1d4+1 Large Monstrous Spiders, 1d3 Large Monstrous Scorpions, or a pack of 3d6 Medium Monstrous Spiders as a standard action. (If the base creature is not terrestrial, this power might summon other creatures of similar power.) These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour.

Create Spawn (Su): A drow slain by a drow vampire’s Con drain rises as a vampire spawn (see the Vampire Spawn entry) 1d4 days after burial.

If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under the command of the vampire that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any given time a vampire may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed vampires or vampire spawn. A vampire that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a master vampire can control a number of lesser vampires in this fashion. A vampire may voluntarily free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a vampire or vampire spawn cannot be enslaved again.

Special Qualities: A drow vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.

Alternate Form (Su): A drow vampire can assume the shape of a monstrous spider of Tiny to Large size as a standard action. While in its alternate form, the drow vampire loses its natural claw attacks and dominate ability, but it gains the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of its new form. It can remain in that form until it assumes another or until the next sunrise. (If the base creature is not terrestrial, this power might allow other forms.)

Damage Reduction (Su): A drow vampire has damage reduction 10/silver and magic. A drow vampire’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Fast Healing (Ex): A drow vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Any additional damage dealt to a vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, a vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 5 hit points per round.

Resistances (Ex): A drow vampire has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10.

Spell-Like Abilities: Drow vampires can use the following spell-like abilities once per day: dancing lights, darkness, deeper darkness, detect magic, dispel magic, faerie fire, levitate, suggestion. Caster level equals the drow vampire’s class levels.

Spider Climb (Ex): A drow vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell.

Turn Resistance (Ex): A drow vampire has +4 turn resistance.

Venomous Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, a drow vampire can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability. Any creature that enters the drow vampire's space is exposed to drow vampire poison (see below).

Drow Vampire Poison (Ex): inhaled, Fortitude save negates, initial and secondary damage 1d4 Con. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Voice of the Underdark (Su): A drow vampire can communicate with any animal or vermin native to subterranean environments, as if using a speak with animals spell. Even mindless creatures such as monstrous spiders can interpret its commands.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. As an undead creature, a drow vampire has no Constitution score.

Skills: Drow vampires have a +8 racial bonus on Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.

Feats: Drow vampires gain Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes, assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t already have these feats.

Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3–5), or troupe (1–2 plus 2–5 vampire spawn).
Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature + 2.
Treasure: Double standard.
Alignment: Always evil (any).
Advancement: By character class.
Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +8.

Drow Vampire Weaknesses
For all their power, drow vampires have a number of weaknesses.

Repelling a Vampire: Vampires cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it. Similarly, they recoil from a mirror or a strongly presented holy symbol. These things don’t harm the vampire—they merely keep it at bay. A recoiling vampire must stay at least 5 feet away from a creature holding the mirror or holy symbol and cannot touch or make melee attacks against the creature holding the item for the rest of the encounter. Holding a vampire at bay takes a standard action.

Vampires are also unable to cross running water, although they can be carried over it while resting in their coffins or aboard a ship.

They are utterly unable to enter a home or other building unless invited in by someone with the authority to do so. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.

Slaying a Vampire: Reducing a drow vampire’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see the note on fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay vampires.

Exposing any drow vampire to direct sunlight disorients it: It can take only a single move action or attack action and is destroyed utterly in the next round if it cannot escape. Similarly, immersing a vampire in running water robs it of one-third of its hit points each round until it is destroyed at the end of the third round of immersion.

Driving a rock salt stake through a drow vampire’s heart instantly slays the monster. However, it returns to life if the stake is removed, unless the body is destroyed. A popular tactic is to cut off the creature’s head and fill its mouth with holy wafers (or their equivalent).

Sample Drow Vampire
The following sample creature has gained the drow vampire template.

Drow Vampire, 2nd-Level Rogue/5th-level Ranger/3rd-level Shadowdancer
Medium Undead (Augmented Humanoid [Elf])
Hit Dice: 10d12 (65 hp)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 26 (+5 Dex, +6 natural, +5 +1 mithral shirt), touch 15, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+13
Attack: Claw +13 melee (1d6+5) or +1 elfbane adamantine shortsword +15 (+17 vs. elves) melee (1d6+6/17-20 or 1d6+8/17-20 plus 2d6 damage vs. elves) or composite shortbow (+2 Str bonus) +13 ranged (1d6+2/x3)
Full Attack: 2 claws +13 melee (1d6+5) or +1 elfbane adamantine shortsword +13/+8 (+15/+10 vs. elves) melee (1d6+6/17-20 or 1d6+8/17-20 plus 2d6 damage vs. elves) and +1 vicious shortsword +12 melee (1d6+3/17-20 plus 2d6 to victim and 1d6 to wielder) or composite shortbow (+2 Str bonus) +11/+6 ranged (1d6+2/x3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Awe (DC 18*), blood drain, children of the Spider Queen, combat style (two-weapon fighting), create spawn, favored enemies (2), poison, shadow illusion, sneak attack +1d6, spell-like abilities, summon shadow
Special Qualities: Alternate form, animal companion, damage reduction 10/silver and magic, drow traits, evasion, fast healing 5, hide in plain sight, resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10, spell resistance 12, spider climb, trapfinding, +4 turn resistance, uncanny dodge, venomous gaseous form (DC 18*), voice of the underdark, wild empathy
Saves: Fort +6*, Ref +15*, Will +4*
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 20, Con -, Int 14, Wis 16, Cha 14
Skills: Balance +7, Bluff +16*, Diplomacy +7*, Disguise +3 (+5 acting)*, Hide +26, Intimidate +5*, Jump +7, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +7, Listen +22, Move Silently +26, Perform +8*, Search +15, Sense Motive +16, Sleight of Hand +12, Spot +25, Survival +9 (+11 following tracks, +11 underground), Tumble +15, Use Magic Device +8*
Feats: Alertness (B), Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Endurance (B), Improved Critical (short sword), Improved Initiative (B), Lightning Reflexes (B), Mobility, Track (B), Two-Weapon Fighting (B)
Environment: Underground
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3–5), or troupe (1–2 plus 2–5 vampire spawn)
Challenge Rating: 12
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +4
*Modified by magic items.

Possessions: +1 elfbane adamantine shortsword, +1 vicious shortsword, +1 mithral shirt, +1 cloak of resistance, circlet of persuasion and 80 gp.

Originally appeared in Ravenloft Monstrous Compendium Appendix III: Creatures of Darkness (1994).
 
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Shade

Monster Junkie
Tree of Wailing Souls

http://www.enworld.org/forum/general-monster-talk/273448-special-conversion-thread-plants-47.html

Tree of Wailing Souls
Colossal Plant
Hit Dice: 30d8+300 (435 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 0 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (-8 size, -4 Dex, +20 natural), touch -2, flat-footed 18
Base Attack/Grapple: +24/+53
Attack: Slam +29 melee (3d6+13/19-20)
Full Attack: 8 slams +29 melee (3d6+13/19-20)
Space/Reach: 40 ft./30 ft.
Special Attacks: Entangle, flying fruit, soul snaring, spells
Special Qualities:All-around vision, immunity to fire, plant traits, rejuvenation, spell resistance 33, tremorsense 300 ft.
Saves: Fort +27, Ref +6, Will +16
Abilities: Str 36, Dex 2, Con 30, Int 7, Wis 15, Cha 21
Skills: Concentration +16 (+20 casting defensively), Intimidate +17, Knowledge (all) +2, Spot +32
Feats: Awesome Blow, Combat Casting, Empower Spell, Epic Will, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (slam), Improved Initiative, Intensify Spell, Maximize Spell, Power Attack, Superior Initiative
Environment: Any land
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 22
Treasure: Double coins, double goods, triple items
Alignment: Neutral evil
Advancement: —
Level Adjustment: —

A massive tree rustles in the wind at the top of a hill. Suddenly, roots erupt from the ground around you. Insane humanoid faces sprout on its branches like fruit, babbling and spitting out obscenities.

The tale of the Tree of Wailing Souls is one of the more popular "ghost stories" told by bards throughout the world. Although few have ever witnessed it and lived, it is very much real, and it subsists on the blood and souls of sentient beings.

The Tree of Wailing Souls is incredibly ancient, and among its trapped souls can be found representatives of many great empires long lost to the sands of time. As such, many loreseekers have sought the Tree of Wailing Souls in hopes of firsthand accounts from the spirits of those who lived in ages long past.

The Tree of Wailing Souls is 100 feet tall with a trunk over 20 feet in diameter at its base.

The Tree of Wailing Souls speaks any language known by one of its absorbed souls (which, by this point, is nearly every known language).

COMBAT

The Tree of Wailing Souls first entangles its victims, sometimes waiting until they camp nearby. Then it comes to life in a whirlwind of slams and spells, which it casts nearly randomly. When it snares a soul, it manifests the soul as a head-fruit to intimidate its remaining opponents.

All-Around Vision (Ex): The many sensory organs of the Tree of Wailing Souls gives it a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks, and it can't be flanked.

Entangle (Ex): As a free action, the Tree of Wailing Souls may animate its roots (which reach out to a 300 ft radius around the tree). Creatures in a square occupied by the roots will be entangled unless they succeed at a DC 38 Reflex save. The effect lasts until the tree dies or decides to end it (also a free action). A creature that dies while entangled is affected by the Tree's Soul Snaring ability (see below). An entangled creature can escape with a DC 38 Escape Artist check or a DC 42 Strength check. The roots can also be cut through with sunder attacks (AC 20 and 60 hit points per 5 foot square). A creature can not be entangled if all the squares in its space have had their roots cut through. The severed roots in a cleared square regrow in 3d4 hours. The check DCs are Strength-based, and the Strength check DC includes a +4 racial bonus.

Rejuvenation (Su): It is impossible to destroy the Tree of Wailing Souls through simple combat: The Tree can regrow from a root fragment in 5d10 days. The only way to destroy the Tree completely is to destroy the entire hill after reducing the body's hit points to zero (see the Entangle ability above).

Soul Snaring (Su): If a creature's blood spills onto the ground containing the Tree of Wailing Souls' roots (a 300-foot radius), the Tree connects itself to that creature's soul. A remove curse spell cast on the victim removes this connection with a successful DC 30 caster level check.

If a creature dies while connected to the Tree of Wailing Souls, their soul is drawn to the tree and trapped if it is on the same plane as the Tree. This ability functions as the trap the soul spell (DC 30, saving throw made on the death of the victim), with the following exceptions:

The Tree of Wailing Souls may manifest a trapped soul on one of its fruit as a free action. The Tree can manifest up to twelve such souls simultaneously. The face of the victim will appear on the fruit while the Tree manifests a trapped soul. the Tree gains a +12 racial bonus on Intimidate checks against all creatures who are familiar with that victim. In addition, the Tree may cast any spells known to that victim while its head is manifested, even if those spells are not on the sorcerer/wizard or cleric spell lists in the SRD.

A victim whose soul is trapped in the Tree of Wailing Souls cannot be returned to life by magic short of an epic spell or divine intervention. If the fruit manifesting a victim's soul is cut off, that frees the soul and allows either final death or the return of the victim to life by magical means. Furthermore, if the Tree is killed all its trapped souls are freed.

Trapped souls are kept in a state of confused madness while trapped by the Tree's soul snaring ability. It is possible to communicate with a trapped soul, but they only babble incoherently

The check and save DCs are Charisma-based.

Spells: The Tree of Wailing Souls can cast arcane spells as a 20th-level sorcerer. It knows all spells from the sorcerer/wizard and cleric spell lists, as well as other spells absorbed from creatures whose souls it traps (see Soul Snaring ability) or at the DM's discretion.

Spells/day: 6/8/7/7/7/7/6/6/6/6; save DC 15 + spell level). The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Skills: The Tree of Wailing Souls has a +4 racial bonus on all Knowledge checks and a +12 racial bonus on Intimidate checks.

In the Realms
The Tree of Wailing Souls lies atop Turlangtor, the westernmost peak of the rocky heights that lie to the south of the River Rauvin and run east to Turnstone Pass. The Tree of Wailing Souls has, on occasion, been mistaken for the legendary Grandfather Tree.

Originally appeared in Mintiper's Chapbook Part 2: Tree of Wailing Souls (2004).
 
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