Creature Catalog new 3.5 conversions

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Straw Golem

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=211853&page=4

Straw Golem
Medium Construct
Hit Dice: 2d10+20 (31 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 10, touch 10, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+3
Attack: Slam +3 melee (1d4+2)
Full Attack: 2 slams +3 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Construct traits, damage reduction 3/slashing or bludgeoning, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +1, Will +1
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con —, Int —, Wis 11, Cha 1
Skills: -
Feats: -
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or gang (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 3-4 HD (Medium); 5-6 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -

This roughly man-shaped wooden bundle of straw stands 6 feet tall.

Straw golems are among the easiest golems to produce. Although they lack immunity to magic and are vulnerable to fire, they are cheap and can be made by even apprentice spellcasters.

A straw golem stands 6 feet tall and weighs around 100 pounds.

COMBAT

A straw golem pummels foes with its fists.

CONSTRUCTION

A straw golem's body is formed from a man-sized bundle of straw. The body is then treated with solvents and alchemical substances (worth at least 200 gp). Crafting the body requires a DC 15 Use Rope check.

CL 1st; Craft Construct, mending, unseen servant, caster must be at least 1st level; Price 500 gp; Cost 250 gp + 20 XP.

Originally appeared in Polyhedron Magazine #41 (1993).

 

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Demon, Nasthrapur

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=66479&page=36&pp=30

Demon, Nasthrapur
Large Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar, Evil, Tanar'ri)
Hit Dice: 20d8+220 (310 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 90 ft. (good)
Armor Class: 35 (–1 size, +5 Dex, +21 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 30
Base Attack/Grapple: +20/+37
Attack: Bite +31 melee (1d8+13) or gore +31 melee (1d8+13/19-20)
Full Attack: Bite +31 melee (1d8+13) and gore +29 melee (1d8+6/19-20) and 2 claws +29 melee (1d6+6)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Breath weapon, fear aura, spell-like abilities, summon tanar'ri
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 15/cold iron and good, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to electricity, and poison, resistance to acid 10, cold 10, and fire 10, spell resistance 39, telepathy 100 ft., true seeing
Saves: Fort +23, Ref +17, Will +19
Abilities: Str 37, Dex 21, Con 33, Int 21, Wis 24, Cha 26
Skills: Balance +30, Bluff +31, Concentration +34, Diplomacy +35, Disguise +8 (+10 acting), Intimidate +33, Jump +19, Listen +30, Knowlege (the planes) +28, Search +28, Sense Motive +30, Spellcraft +28 (+30 scrolls), Spot +30, Survival +7 (+9 on other planes, +9 following tracks), Tumble +28, Use Magic Device +31 (+33 scrolls)
Feats: Cleave, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (gore), Multiattack, Power Attack, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (fireball, magic missle)
Environment: Infinite Layers of the Abyss
Organization: Solitary or strike force (one nasthrapur and 1d6 bulezaus or 1-2 goristroi)
Challenge Rating: 20
Treasure: Standard coins; double goods; standard items
Alignment: Always chaotic evil
Advancement: 21–30 HD (Large); 31–60 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

This demon has a broad, scaly body atop thick legs ending in dark hooves. It has the head of a bull, taloned arms like those of a dragon, and large leather wings. Smoke trickles from its nostrils, and its eyes burn like glowing embers.

The nasthrapur is rumored to be a creation of Baphomet in his legendary Tower of Science. These demons can shift between charming persuasion and brute force swiftly and unpredictably. Nasthrapurs serve Baphomet as both diplomats and leaders of his armies. As his creations, they are more loyal to the Prince of Beasts than balors. Extensive breeding and testing has resulted in a far greater resistance to magic than most other demons, making them excellent slayers of spellcasters.

A nasthrapur is 13 feet tall and weighs about 5,500 pounds.

Nasthrapurs speak Abyssal, Celestial, and Draconic.

COMBAT

A nasthrapur is just as likely to manipulate an adversary's mind through persuasion and magic as it is to tear him limb from limb. In a battle, a nasthrapur generally opens with a quickened magic missle in tandem with its fiery breath, then follows with a quickend fireball towards ranged adversaries and enemy spellcasters while charming or hypnotizing melee-oriented combatants.

Breath Weapon (Su): Three times per day, 40-foot cone, damage 4d10 fire, Reflex DC 31 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Fear Aura (Su): A nasthrapur can radiate a 20-foot-radius fear aura as a free action. A creature in the area must succeed on a DC 28 Will save or be affected as though by a fear spell (caster level 18th). A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same nasthrapur's aura for 24 hours. Other demons are immune to the aura. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—deeper darkness, fireball (DC 20), greater teleport (self plus 50 pounds of objects only), hypnotism (DC 18), magic missile; 1/day—fire storm (DC 26), mass charm monster (DC 26). Caster level 20th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Summon Tanar'ri (Sp): Once per day a nasthrapur can automatically summon 1d6 bulezaus (or 1d4 hezrous if you aren't using Fiendish Codex I), or summon one nalfeshnee, glabrezu, or goristro (or 1 marilith if you aren't using Fiendish Codex I) with a 70% chance of success. This ability is the equivalent of a 9th-level spell.

True Seeing (Su): Nasthrapurs have a continuous true seeing ability, as the spell (caster level 20th).

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #13 (1978).

 

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http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=66479&page=36&pp=30

Ghazneth, Suzara the Scold
Medium Outsider (Evil, Ghazneth, Native)
Hit Dice: 14d8+98 (161 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares), fly 90 ft. (average)
Armor Class: 26 (+7 Dex, +9 natural), touch 17, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +14/+21
Attack: Bite +21 melee (1d6+7)
Full Attack: Bite +21 melee (1d6+7) and 2 claws +19 melee (1d4+3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Expend magic
Special Qualities: Absorb magic, damage reduction 15/cold iron, darkvision 60 ft., expend magic, rejuvenation
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +16, Will +13
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 25, Con 24, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 21
Skills: Bluff +15, Diplomacy +21, Disguise +15 (+17 acting), Gather Information +7, Intimidate +17, Knowledge (arcana) +19, Knowledge (history) +19, Knowledge (local) +19, Knowledge (nobility and royalty) +19, Listen +13, Search +12, Sense Motive +12, Spellcraft +14 (+16 scrolls), Spot +13, Survival +2 (+4 following tracks), Use Magic Device +15 (+17 scrolls)
Feats: Ability Focus (aging touch), Hover, Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack
Environment: Cormyr and surrounding lands
Organization: Solitary or band (Suzara and 1-5 other ghazneths)
Challenge Rating: 14
Treasure: No coins; triple goods (gems and jewelry); triple items
Alignment: Neutral evil
Advancement: -
Level Adjustment: -

What appeared from a distance to be a beggar in a ragged hooded cloak is revealed to be a tall, skeletal woman with a dark, leathery wings and a coarse black mane. Her red eyes hint at an unnatural nature.

Once the wife of the founder of Cormyr, Suzara abandoned her family and became a ghazneth 1,300 years ago.

Suzara is 6 feet tall and weighs 130 pounds.

Suzara speaks Common and Chondathan.

COMBAT

Suzara does not look for battle, but if drawn into combat, she allows her enemies to act first, hoping to absorb an enemy's spells.

Absorb Magic (Su): A ghazneth can ready an action to absorb spells or spell-like abilities as a rod of absorption, although the ghazneth is stunned for one round for each level that it absorbs. In addition, a ghazneth can absorb charges from charged magical items, absorbing one charge per round of contact. A charge grants as many levels as appropriate to the effect (for example, a charge from a wand of magic missile gives 1 level, but a charge from a wand of fireball gives 3 levels). Charges of non-spell effects grant one level for every two caster levels of the effect (rounded up). The charges are forever lost to the magic item, as if they had been used normally.

Ghazneths may also spend one hour to discharge a permanent magical item (or one with daily charges) completely, rendering it a mundane item. This ability requires continuous contact. The ghazneth gains 10 spell levels per spell level of each effect of the magic item (or 1/2 the caster level of the effect, rounded up).

A ghazneth may store one level for each year of its age. At approximately 1,360 years of age, she can hold up to 1,360 levels.

Expend Magic (Su): Suzara may expend stored magic to utilize the following powers.

Aging Touch (Su): Suzara may expend one stored magic level to cause a living being she touches to succeed on a DC 24 Fortitude save or age 10 years. This requires a successful melee touch attack. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Blight (Su): Suzara continuously causes all crops within 136 yards to conract a fungal disease and wither in 1d10 days. This ability drains one stored magic level per hour.

Detect Magic (Su): Suzara continuously detects all magic (as the detect magic spell) within 136 miles. This ability drains one stored magic level per day.

Fast Healing (Su): Suzara may expend one stored magic level to gain fast healing 11 for 10 minutes.

Rotting Touch (Su): Suzara may expend one stored magic level to cause any one inanimate item of no more than 1,100 pounds to rot, crumble, or rust away within 1d10 rounds. The item must be touched. Magic items and attended items are allowed a DC 22 Fortitude save to negate the effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Rejuvenation (Su): Ghazneths are not destroyed through simple combat: When a ghazneth is reduced to 0 hp, it immediately heals as many hit points as possible through its remaining magic levels. If it has no magic levels remaining, the ghazneth lies dormant for 2d10 hours and then absorbs a level of magic directly from the Weave, at which point it heals itself. Even the most powerful spells are usually only temporary solutions. Typically, there is a unique means to destroy a given ghazneth. The exact means varies and may require a good deal of research to discover (a DC 15 + ghazneth's CR Knowledge (history) check).

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine Annual #4 (1999).

 

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Buraq

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=68207&page=30&pp=30

Buraq
Large Magical Beast (Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 5d10+15 (42 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 70 ft. (14 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (–1 size, +1 Dex, +6 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+13
Attack: Hoof +8 melee (1d6+4) or bite +8 melee (2d6+4)
Full Attack: 2 hooves +8 melee (1d6+4) and bite +3 melee (2d6+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Knock down, trample 2d6+6
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, self-sustained, silent hooves, spell resistance 9, spell-like abilities, timeless travel, unerring travel
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +5, Will +4
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 17, Cha 15
Skills: Diplomacy +8, Knowledge (the planes) +7, Sense Motive +10, Survival +11 (+13 on other planes)
Feats: Endurance, Run
Environment: Blessed Fields of Elysium
Organization: Solitary or herd (1-4)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral good
Advancement: 6-15 HD (Large) or by character class
Level Adjustment: -

This equine creature bears the face of a human man, its eyes shining with wisdom. Its lustrous, dappled coat is grey and white, becoming speckled with green, blue, brown and black near its hindquarters. It bears a peacocklike tail of red, green, gold and blue, and its hooves appear to be of the purest silver.

Sometimes called "the horses of heaven", buraqs hail from the Upper Planes. They come to the Material Plane to befriend the devout and deserving, and will serve a rider who displays bravery, compassion, generosity, respect, and a willingness to perform good deeds. Should a rider ever commit even a single transgression to these virtues, the buraq may depart forever.

In exchange for care and devotion from its rider, a buraq offers counsel and transportation. It never gets lost as long as the sun or stars are visible, and can make time cease to flow for its rider, making even the most hazardous journey seem uneventful.

Buraq tailfeathers are prized for use in preparing scrolls, and are rumored to strengthen healing and protective spells scribed in such a manner. Buraqs occasionally leave a feather in a location as a sign of a deity's favor.

Buraqs are immortal. They subsist solely on good intentions, and only eat and drink for pleasure. They do require rest each night, just like a normal horse.

A buraq is 6 feet long and weighs 1,200 pounds.

Buraqs speak Celestial.

COMBAT

Buraqs do not seek out combat, but will fight fearlessly to protect their riders. In battle, a buraq attempts to knock down and trample smaller adversaries.

A buraq's silver hooves are treated as silver weapons for purposes of overcoming damage reduction.

Airborne Gallop (Su): A buraq can fly at its base speed with average maneuverability. To activate this ability, the buraq must take a 3 round running start. Once the buraq is flying, it must move at least its full speed each round to continue flying. A buraq may use the Run feat with this ability.

Knock Down (Ex): If a buraq hits an opponent of its size or smaller with both its hooves in the same round, it can attempt to trip its opponent (+8 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the buraq. If it succeeds, the buraq immediately moves into the opponent's space and deals automatic trample damage.

Self-Sustained (Ex): A buraq doesn't need to eat or drink.

Silent Hooves (Ex): A buraq always moves silently and cannot be heard with Listen checks if it doesn't wish to be.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will--speak with animals; 3/day--comprehend languages. Caster level 5th.

Timeless Travel (Su): As a standard action, a buraq can place a willing rider into temporal stasis, as the spell. The buraq may end this effect at any time as a free action. The buraq uses this ability to make a trip seem instantaneous for its rider.

Trample (Ex): Reflex half DC 16. The save DC is Strength-based.

Unerring Travel (Ex): A buraq always succeeds on Survival checks to avoid getting lost, as long as it can see the sun or stars.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium 13 (1992).

 

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Snow Mischief

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=211853&page=5

Snow Mischief
Small Elemental (Cold)
Hit Dice: 2d8+2 (11 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares), fly 30 ft. (perfect)
Armor Class: 13 (+1 size, +2 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-3
Attack: Claw +2 melee (1d4 plus 1d4 cold plus cold touch)
Full Attack: 2 claws +2 melee (1d4 plus 1d4 cold plus cold touch) and bite -3 melee (1d4 plus 1d4 cold) and tail -3 melee (1d6 plus 1d4 cold)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Cold touch, spell-like abilities, vertiginous aura
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, immunity to cold, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +2, Ref +5, Will +3
Abilities: Str 11, Dex 15, Con 12, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 15
Skills: Balance +4, Bluff +7, Diplomacy +4, Disguise +2 (+4 acting), Jump -4, Intimidate +4, Sleight of Hand +9, Tumble +7
Feats: Ability Focus (vertigionous aura)
Environment: Elemental Plane of Air and Elemental Plane of Water (Parelemental Plane of Ice)
Organization: Solitary or lark (2-6)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
Advancement: 3-6 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: -

A group of three-foot-tall, misshapen winged creatures seemingly formed of pure snow take flight. They giggle and chuckle as a feeling of vertigo sweeps over you.

Snow mischiefs are, as their name implies, tricksters and troublemakers. Native to the border region of the Elemental Planes of Air and Water knows as the Paraelemental Plane of Ice, these elementals are often summoned to the Material Plane to harass the enemies and competitors of spellcasters.

The god Loki has a fondness for snow mischiefs, bringing them to the mortal realm to sow chaos.

A snow mischief is 3 feet tall and weighs 40 pounds.

Snow mischiefs speak Aquan and Auran.

A snow mischief can be summoned with a summon monster III or summon nature's ally II spell.

COMBAT

Snow mischiefs always use their mirror image ability before closing to battle, then seek to affect as many targets as possible with their vertiginous aura. They then gang up on the prone opponents, using their cold touch to great effect. Left to their own devices, they rarely kill their victims, although will do so if ordered to do so by their summoner.

Cold Touch (Su): The claw attack of snow mischiefs deal one point of Con damage on each hit. Unlike normal ability damage, the character regains one point of ability score for each ten minutes spent in a moderate or warmer temperature. In addition, if a creature's Constitution is reduced to zero by a snow mischief's claw attack, the creature is not killed but rendered unconscious for one minute, after which its Constitution returns to 1. Upon returning to consciousness, the creature is staggered until its Constitution reaches half its normal value.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—mirror image. Caster level 8th.

Vertiginous Aura (Su): A 10-foot radius aura surrounds a snow mischief at all times. Any creature that enters this aura becomes sickened for 5 rounds due to the intense feeling of vertigo created by this aura. In addition, the creature must make a DC 15 Fortitude save or fall prone immediately. A creature is only affected once by the vertiginous aura of a given snow mischief once in a 24-hour period. Snow mischiefs are immune to the vertiginous aura of other snow mischiefs. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Originally appeared in Polyhedron Magazine #116 (1996).

 

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Arsalon (Hive Drake)

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=213663

Arsalon (Hive Drake)
Large Dragon
Hit Dice: 12d12+36 (114 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 150 ft. (poor)
Armor Class: 17 (-1 size, +8 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+20
Attack: Claw +15 melee (1d6+4)
Full Attack: 2 claws +15 melee (1d6+4) and bite +15 melee (1d10+2) and stinger +15 melee (2d6+2 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Cloud of wasps, poison
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to paralysis and sleep, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +13, Ref +8, Will +9
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 11, Con 17, Int 4, Wis 13, Cha 12
Skills: Hide +9, Listen +15, Spot +15, Survival +9
Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude, Hover, Improved Multiattack, Multiattack
Environment: Temperate woodlands
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 9
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 13-18 HD (Large), 19-24 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: -

This horse-sized dragon resembles a giant insect. Its large, thick scales resemble plates, while its slender, backward-thrusting horns resemble antennae. Its short, thick tail ends in a body stinger. Dark, vertical stripes, like those of a bee, stretch across its scales, and its batlike wings are nearly black.

One of the more unusual of the greater drakes, the arsalon, or hive drake, resembles an insect as much as a dragon. While many believe them to be some kind of a dragon/bee hybrid, arsalon are completely reptilian.

Arsalon cannot speak, but if properly trained can be taught to obey commands in a spoken language.

An arsalon's body is 12 feet long, half of which is its tail. Its wingspan is about 10 feet. An arsalon weighs between between 1,250 and 1,500 pounds. Arsalon range from a dusty yellow to tan to a light gray. Their batlike wings are often much darker in color, ranging from a coffee-brown to nearly black.

COMBAT

The arsalon’s combat tactics differ depending upon its position. On land, it uses the standard claw/claw/bite routine common to most drakes. If airborne, the drake usually foregoes its bite attack and attacks first with its front claws, and then, if successful, swings its tail under its body and jabs at its prey with its bony stinger. If a victim is slowed by its venom, the arsalon takes full advantage, biting and stinging repeatedly while grasping its prey in its front claws.

Cloud of Wasps (Ex): The arsalon sports a unique form of attack, based on a strange symbiosis between the drake and normal wasps. The arsalon secretes a wasp-attracting nectarlike substance in its throat bladder. Over time, the bladder becomes home to an entire wasp nest, and the arsalon can excite the wasps simply by contracting its throat bladder and exerting pressure on the hive. Use the statistics for a swarm of locusts to represent the wasps. The enraged wasps do not stray far from the arsalon, but dissipates once all creatures (other than the arsalon itself) are out of sight.

Fortunately, the arsalon’s unusual “breath weapon” is a one-shot deal; once the wasps have been sent out into battle, the drake must wait 24 hours to secrete enough nectar to attract a new swarm. Because of its thick, platelike scales, the arsalon is immune to the stings of wasps and other similar-sized creatures like bees and hornets.

Poison (Ex): Stinger, Fortitude DC 16, initial damage slowed (as the spell) for 1d10+2 rounds, secondary damage none. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #260 (1999).

 

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Retchenbeast (Muck Drake)

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=213663

Retchenbeast (Muck Drake)
Medium Dragon
Hit Dice: 10d12+30 (95 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 20 ft., fly 70 ft. (poor)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 Dex, +6 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+12
Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d8+2) or spit muck +10 ranged touch
Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d8+2) and 2 claws +7 melee (1d4+1) or spit muck +10 ranged touch
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spit muck
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunity to paralysis and sleep, low-light vision, resistance to acid 5
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +6, Will +7
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 9, Con 16, Int 4, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills: Hide +12, Listen +15, Spot +15, Swim +10
Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude, Snatch, Weapon Focus (spit muck)
Environment: Any swamp
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 7
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 11-15 HD (Medium), 16-20 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -

This ugly creature resembles a grayish-brown bloated toad the size of a pony. It has short, stumpy wings, a short, thick neck, and four webbed feet. Its long, serpentine tail looks out of place on the creature. A pair of eyes bulge from the top of its head.

The retchenbeast, or muck drake, is not only one of the smallest of the greater drakes but also one of the ugliest. Rather than sporting the graceful draconian form common to the other drakes, the retchenbeast resembles nothing so much as a giant, bloated toad with short, stumpy wings that can barely support its weight in flight. Like a toad, the creature’s eyes bulge from the top of its head, allowing it to submerge all but its eyes under the swampy waters of its home territory. Its neck is much shorter and thicker than those of other drakes.

When clean, retchenbeasts are a grayish-brown, with irregularly sized scales. (The larger ones often have wartlike projections on them, further enhancing the likeness to a giant toad.) However, clean retchenbeasts are rarely seen, for they are habitually covered in the muck and slime of the swamps, bogs, and quagmires that they call home. While not swift, retchenbeasts are excellent swimmers, able to keep afloat even in quicksand and bogs.

Retchenbeasts cannot speak, but if properly trained can be taught to obey commands in a spoken language.

A retchenbeast's body is 8 feet long, half of which is its tail. Its wingspan is about 6 feet. A retchenbeast weighs between between 800 and 1,000 pounds.

COMBAT

A retchenbeast prefers to stay submerged up to its protruding eyeballs until ready to spring out at its prey. Inherently lazy creatures, retchenbeasts prefer to dispatch their victims with as little fuss as possible. While their froglike mouths are filled with sharp teeth and they sport wicked little claws on the ends of their webbed digits, retchenbeasts prefer grappling prey and holding them underwater until they drown.

Spit Muck (Ex): Retchenbeasts have a revolting attack they can bring to bear - vomiting up a sticky, sludgelike liquid from the storage pouch in their throats. The retchenbeast must succeed on a ranged touch attack. A victim struck must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or be sickened. This condition lasts until the muck is washed off (a full-round action requiring at least a gallon of water). Regardless of whether the save is successful, the muck has a tendency to drip into the victim’s eyes and slows movement to the extent that the victim suffers a -2 circumstance penalty to Armor Class. In addition, anyone within 10 feet of a “mucked” victim must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or suffer a lesser version of the sickened condition (-1 penalty on all attack rolls, weapon damage rolls, saving throws, skill checks, and ability checks) due to the stench. Retchenbeasts are immune to this ability. The save DC is Constitution-based.

The retchenbeast must have access to a fetid, swampy region to replenish its disgusting “muck” attack, for the creature’s “muck” attack draws heavily on the mud and mire of the swampland environment. The retchenbeast can employ its spit muck attack once every 3 rounds, so long as it has access to swamp muck and mire. Salivary glands help “store” a dose of wet muck in the retchenbeast’s throat bladder for nearly a month between uses. Refilling its throat bladder requires a move action.

Skills: A retchenbeast 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.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #260 (1999).

 

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Memento Mori

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=216065

Memento Mori
Medium Undead (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 4d12 (26 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: Fly 50 ft. (10 squares)(perfect)
Armor Class: 17 (+3 Dex, +4 deflection), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-
Attack: Shocking touch +5 melee (shocking touch)
Full Attack: Shocking touch +5 melee (shocking touch)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Electric charge, shocking touch
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., devoted guardian, incorporeal traits, undead traits
Saves: Fort +1, Ref +4, Will +4
Abilities: Str -, Dex 16, Con -, Int 9, Wis 4, Cha 18
Skills: Bluff +11, Diplomacy +6, Intimidate +15, Knowledge (history) +4, Listen +6, Sense Motive +4, Spot +6
Feats: Alertness, Persuasive
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 3
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5-12 HD (Medium) or by character class
Level Adjustment: -

A translucent humanoid appears over a nearby coffin.

A memento mori is created to serve as an everlasting remembrance of a dead person, and as an ever-vigilant guardian over its body. It appears as a translucent image of the deceased at the time of its creation, which can range from nearly as it appeared in life to horribly mangled and rotted. It retains the memories of its life, but has a very short-term memory of events thereafter. It will converse with anyone who does not seek to disturb the remains it guards, and often can recite family history to its descendants and other knowledge seekers. Because of its short-term memory, it treats each visit as the first time. It lacks personality and has no interest in learning from others. Multiple memento mori within a similar location ignore each other, each interested only in protecting its own body and treasures.

Memento mori are generally found near places of interment, such as tombs or shrines. The body is usually dressed in fine funerary garb, and treasures can vary from modest, sentimental possessions to royal caches.

A memento mori eternally guards both its bdoy and its treasures, valuing both equally. The memento mori always guards the greatest portion of its treasure remaining. If the majority is destroyed or stolen, it unerringly hunts down the largest remaining portion of its treasure and resumes its vigilance at the treasure's current location.

A memento mori speaks whatever languages it spoke in life, usually at least Common.

A memento mori based off a larger or smaller creature retains the size of the original creature, but this does not affect the Hit Dice.

COMBAT

A memento mori uses intimidation to warn off would-be grave robbers, relying on its electric charge and shocking touch if other methods of intimidation fail. It generally opens with its electric charge, followed by a mild jolt of shocking touch if its enemies are not deterred.

Devoted Guardian (Su): A memento mori is immune to turning when it is guarding its body or designated possessions. However, on the rare occasions that it leaves its guardianship, the memento mori is turned as an undead of its hit dice.

Discern Location (Su): A memento mori always knows the location of any portion of its body or treasure. This functions as a discern location spell, but is always active and only applies to the memento mori's body and treasure.

Electric Charge (Su): A memento mori can release a static electric charge in a 20-foot radius that deals 1 point of electricity damage. When it uses this ability, a memento mori crackles with a blue nimbus of electricity (treat as faerie fire) for 1 round, and the memento mori gains a +4 bonus on Intimidate checks for 24 hours against any creature that it damages with this ability. The memento mori can choose to center this effect on the body it guards instead of itself.

Shocking Touch (Su): The touch attack of a memento mori normally deals 1d6 points of electricity damage (as the shocking grasp spell). However, as a swift action, the memento mori can sacrifice one or more hit points to add that many dice of damage to its touch. For example, a memento mori could sacrifice 3 hp to deal 4d6 dice of electricity damage on its next successful touch attack.

New Spell

Create Memento Mori (Necromancy)
Cleric 6
Components: V, S, DF, M
Casting Time: 2 hours
Range: Touch
Targets: One corpse touched
Duration: Instantaneous
Saving Throw: None
Spell Resistance: No

Casting this spell on a dead body causes a sliver of the soul that once inhabited the body to become a memento mori, standing guard over its body. Only one memento mori can be made from each person’s soul. A memento mori cannot be created if the body of the deceased is not present or if the body or soul of the deceased has already been turned into some other form of undead.

Material Component: A collection of herbs, spices, oils, and precious substances worth 500 gp that are placed in or about the body during casting. These oils and such are all incorporated into the body and are not recoverable.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #186 (1992).

 

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Zebranaur

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=69690&page=37&pp=30

Zebranaur
Large Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 3d8+6 (19 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 50 ft. (10 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (–1 size, +4 Dex, +1 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 10
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+10
Attack: Scimitar +5 melee (1d8+3/18–20) or composite longbow (+3 Str bonus) +7 ranged (2d6+3/x3)
Full Attack: Scimitar +5 melee (1d8+3/18–20) and 2 hooves +0 melee (1d4+1); or composite longbow (+3 Str bonus) +7 ranged (2d6+3/x3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: -
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft.
Saves: Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +4
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 19, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 13, Cha 11
Skills: Hide +1, Jump +11, Listen +3, Move Silently +6, Spot +3, Survival +6
Feats: Point Blank Shot, Track
Environment: Temperate plains
Organization: Solitary, camp (8-12), tribe (50-80 plus 20% noncombatants plus one 4th-level chief pluse 3-4 1st-3rd level shamans plus one 4th-5th level elder shaman)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +2

The creature has the upper torso, arms, and head of a humanoid, and the lower body of a zebra. Its humanoid portions are dark-skinned, but lack the stripes of its zebra portions. A short black-bristled mane grows from its neck to the middle of its lower back. It wears a square of leather tied to its neck and waist, and wears bone and wooden jewelery. It carries a feathered composite longbow and a scimitar.

Zebranaurs are plains-dwelling cousins of the centaur. They are nomadic hunter-gatherers, and are generally pacifistic. Zebranaurs are quite fond of brass and copper jewelery and will trade for these items when possible. They dislike wemics, and will generally relocate if a group of wemics moves into their territory.

Males and females are equals in zebranaur society, with both responsible for child-rearing, cooking, and other domestic duties.

Although zebranaurs rarely learn to read or write, they have a photographic memory for abstract designs and shapes. They record their history in intricate whorled patterns on leather, which the eldest shaman safeguards. Zebranaurs enjoy painting, using vegetable dyes as the most common artistic supply. They also paint the humanoid portion of their bodies with dark stripes or other patterns. Some tribes have adopted ritual tattooing as well.

A zebranaur is about 6 feet tall and weighs about 1,800 pounds. They live 50-60 years on average.

Zebranaurs speak Common, Sylvan, and Elven.

Combat

Generally pacifistic, zebranaurs attempt to avoid combat whenever possible.

Zebranaurs As Characters

A zebranaur's favored class is ranger. Zebranaur clerics worship Skerrit and can choose any two of the following domains: Animal, Good, or Plant.

Zebranaur characters possess the following racial traits.

• +6 Strength, +8 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, +2 Wisdom.
• Large size. –1 penalty to Armor Class, –1 penalty on attack rolls, –4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.
• Space/Reach: 10 feet/5 feet.
• A zebranaur’s base land speed is 50 feet.
• Darkvision out to 60 feet.
• Racial Hit Dice: A zebranaur begins with three levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 3d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +3, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +3, and Will +3.
• Racial Skills: A zebranaur’s monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 6 x (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Spot, and Survival.
• Racial Feats: A zebranaur’s monstrous humanoid levels give it two feats.
• Weapon Proficiency: Zebranaurs are automatically proficient with the scimitar, shortspear, spear, longspear, longbow, composite longbow, shortbow, and composite shortbow.
• +1 natural armor bonus.
• Automatic Languages: Common, Halfling. Bonus Languages: Elven, Gnome, Sylvan.
• Favored Class: Ranger.
• Level adjustment +2.

Originally appeared in Monstrous Compendium Annual Volume Two (1995).

 

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Zwergeist (Poltergeist)

http://www.enworld.org/showthread.php?t=66479&page=37&pp=30

Zwergeist
Small Outsider (Chaotic, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 6d8+6 (33 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)
Armor Class: 23 (+1 size, +4 Dex, +4 deflection, +4 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+1
Attack: Masterwork short sword +12 melee (1d4-1/19-20) or sling +11 ranged (1d3)
Full Attack: Masterwork short sword +12/+7 melee (1d4-1/19-20) or sling +11/+6 ranged (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Spell-like abilities
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/lawful, darkvision 60 ft., immunity to cold and mind-affecting effects, rejuvenation, resistance to electricty 5 and fire 5, spell resistance CR+14
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +6
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 14, Wis 13, Cha 19
Skills: Balance +15, Bluff +15, Concentration +10, Diplomacy +6, Disguise +4 (+6 acting), Escape Artist +13, Hide +17, Intimidate +8, Jump +6, Listen +10, Move Silently +13, Sleight of Hand +17, Spot +10, Tumble +13, Use Rope +6 (+8 bindings)
Feats: Deft Hands, Persuasive, Weapon Finesse
Environment: Ever-Changing Chaos of Limbo
Organization: Solitary or jest (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Half standard coins; double goods (gems); standard items
Alignment: Always chaotic neutral
Advancement: 7-18 HD (Small) or by character class
Level Adjustment: -

The dark-cloaked creature resembles a gnome. The glitter in its eyes and the crooked smirk hint at mischief.

Zwergeists (sometimes called poltergeists by creatures on the Material Plane), are the spirits of chaotic gnomes from Limbo. Incredible jokesters and pranksters, these beings spread chaos throughout the planes. In most other respects, they behave like typical gnomes.

A zwergeist is 3 feet tall and weighs about 20 pounds.

Zwergeists speak Gnome, Common, and Slaad.

COMBAT

Zwergeists generally carry short swords, spears, clubs or slings. They prefer to play jokes and pranks on others, but if someone gets in their way, they will fight furiously and fearlessly, for they need only fear true death on Limbo. Zwergeists tend to have the same reactions to other races as gnomes.

Rejuvenation (Su): If a zwergeist dies, its body disappears immediately. The body reappears dead but intact on its home plane. Any equipment the zwergeist was wearing or carrying at the moment of its death is likewise transported-- and is reconstituted if it was destroyed. Dimensional anchor, dimensional lock, and similar spells delay the body's transportation in this manner, but once the spell's effect ends, the body transports immediately. After petitioning higher powers on its home plane for 1d10 days, the zwergeist's soul is reunited with its body, returning it to full life. If a zwergeist is slain on its home plane, it is dead forever.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—ghost sound (DC 12), hypnotism (DC 13), invisibility, ventriloquism (DC 13); 1/minute—dimension door. Caster level 8th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

NOTE: These creatures were originally called poltergeists, but have been renamed to avoid confusion with other similarly-named D&D creatures.

Originally appeared in Dragon Magazine #55 (1981).