Creature Catalog new 3.5 conversions

[BOZ]

Avari

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=66479

Avari
Medium Outsider (Evil, Extraplanar)
Hit Dice: 9d8+27 (67 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 25 ft (5 squares), fly 40 ft (average)
Armor Class: 24 (+4 Dex, +10 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+15
Attack: Claw +15 melee (1d6+6)
Full Attack: 2 claws +15 melee (1d6+6) and bite +10 melee (1d12+3 plus poison)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Poison, screech, summon mobats
Special Qualities: Bat empathy, blindsense 60 ft, damage reduction 10/magic and silver, darkvision 60 ft, force resistance, immunity to acid, paralysis, and poison, resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10, spell resistance 18, telepathy 100 ft
Saves: Fort +9 Ref +12 Will +8
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 18, Con 16, Int 13, Wis 15, Cha 16
Skills: Bluff +14, Diplomacy +12, Disguise +3 (+5 acting), Escape Artist +13, Intimidate +14, Hide +17, Jump +13, Knowledge (the planes) +9, Listen +17, Move Silently +19, Sense Motive +11, Spot +12, Survival +14 (+16 on other planes), Use Rope +4 (+6 bindings)
Feats: Alertness, Flyby Attack, Lightning Reflexes, Stealthy

Environment: Grey Waste of Hades
Organization: Solitary, squad (2-4), or colony (5-20 and 5-8 dire bats and 11-20 bat swarms)
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 10-18 HD (Medium); 19-27 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +9

This creature appears to be a human-sized bat. It has huge leathery wings and its fur is brownish-green. Rank saliva drips from its fanged mouth, and its eyes burn with hatred and cunning.

The avari are a race of humanoid creatures that live in the Lower Planes, and are the chief rivals of yugoloths for territory. Unfortunately, they are neither as powerful or as numerous as the fiends and have lost much over time. Long ago, avari dwelt in a large central community, but their many wars shattered their unity, forcing them to live in isolated clan in desolate areas of the planes. They dwell there in dank caverns filled with bats, and inhabit similar environs when found on the Material plane.

The avari are renowned for their cruelty, and have a great love of torture and causing pain. They crave gold, and love the taste of human flesh, and will negotiate with humans to gain either. Evil clerics often call an avari to the Material plane using a planar ally spell, usually offering gold in exchange for the avari's services as a guardian or torturer.

In the few places where avari have been able to thrive they have established a feudal system, using slaves and serfs to satisfied their every whim. It is surprising how such a system can be maintained when the avari dine on their servants so frequently.

An avari is 6 feet tall, and weighs 150 pounds.

An avari speaks Abyssal, Infernal and Undercommon.

COMBAT
Avari will normally begin combat by screeching, then move in to attack. They will target humans first, hoping to save them for later meals.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial damage wracking pains that impose a –4 penalty on attack rolls, skill checks, and ability checks for 4d4 rounds, secondary damage paralyzed for 2d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Screech (Su): An avari can screech once per round, affecting all those within 60 feet. All creatures in the area must succeed on a DC 17 Will save or be stunned for 1d3 rounds. This is a sonic, mind-affecting attack. The save DC is Constitution-based. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same avari's sonic screech for 24 hours.

Summon Mobats (Sp): Three times per day, an avari can automatically summon 1d4 mobats. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell.

Bat Empathy (Ex): Avari can communicate and empathize with normal or dire bats and other batlike creatures. This gives them a +4 racial bonus on checks when influencing the animal’s attitude and allows the communication of simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly) commands, such as "friend," "foe," "flee," and "attack."

Blindsense (Ex): An avari uses echolocation to pinpoint creatures within 60 feet. Opponents still have total concealment against the avari unless it can actually see them.

Force Resistance (Ex): Avari have a +4 racial bonus on saving throws spells and effects with the force descriptor. If an effect does not allow a saving throw, but deals damage (such as magic missile), the avari instead takes only half damage from the effect.

Skills: An avari has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Move Silently checks.

Originally found in Dragon Magazine #101 ("Creature Catalog III," September 1985, Scott Bennie).

 

[BOZ]

The Hand and The Eye of Vecna

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=73265

The Hand
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 13d8+65 (123 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 30 ft (6 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (+4 Dex, +6 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+20
Attack: Slam +20 melee (1d10+7) or longsword +20 melee (1d8+7/19-20) or dagger +17 ranged (1d4+7)
Full Attack: Slam +20 melee (1d10+7) and 2 longswords +20/+15/+10 melee (1d8+3/19-20) or dagger +17/+12/+7 ranged (1d4+7/19-20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Constrict 1d10+10, grip of ruin, improved grab, strength damage
Special Qualities: Arcane awareness
Saves: Fort +9 Ref +12 Will +8
Abilities: Str 24, Dex 19, Con 20, Int 7, Wis 10, Cha 11
Skills: Bluff +5, Diplomacy +2, Disguise +5 (+7 acting), Intimidate +7, Tumble +5
Feats: Greater Two-Weapon Fighting, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Power Attack, Quick Draw, Two-Weapon Fighting

Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or cult (The Hand and The Eye, plus 1-3 clerics of 8th-12th level, plus 5-10 fighters of 2nd-6th level, plus 2-7 rogues of 3rd-6th level)
Challenge Rating: 11
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: ---
Level Adjustment: ---

This squat, heavily muscled humanoid is about the same size and shape as a dwarf. However, in place of a humanoid head, a giant-sized hand sticks out of the neck. The creature wears a pleated kilt, decorated with colorful swirls and jagged stripes. It wears a thick leather belt loaded with daggers, and carries two longswords on its back. It appears to be wearing nothing else.

The Hand, or Hand Servitor as it is sometimes known, is the second lieutenant in the cult of Vecna, answering only to the Eye and the leader of the cult. This cult created this being by modifying a human, using powerful spells to bring about the transformation. It is unknown if there are more than one of these creatures, but none have ever been seen.

The Hand, as with its “brother” the Eye, was created by wizard-priest servants of Vecna, in a time when the mighty arch-lich was only a demigod striving for greater deific status. The process used to create the Hand was incredibly complex, and torturously painful for the subject. The agony of this procedure was so intense that it peeled away its essence of humanity, leaving a barely intelligent, bestial monster. Much like the Eye, the Hand is marked by odd behaviors. Its fawning submissiveness or gently stroking the hand of a friend can suddenly turn to a blind rage without warning, with the Hand flinging himself against walls. Even when totally calm, the Hand is never quite still, and trembles and twitches uncontrollably.

Since the Hand lacks the ability to communicate vocally, the priests of Vecna must use telepathy to talk with it. Though the Hand is technically below the cult’s high priests in rank, it resents this station. It inspires fear in the cult’s followers, as it carries out the decrees of the high priests. This monster is fearsome for its brute physical qualities, but does not inspire the icy terror of a more sinister being like the Eye.

When appearing in public, the Hand wears a blue-green robe with a large hood, and grips an embossed leather mask with its third hand to hide its “face.” It can carry up to twelve daggers on its belt.

The Hand is 4 ½ feet tall, and weighs 200 pounds.

The Hand has no mouth and so cannot speak. It does think, however, and can be communicated with telepathically.

COMBAT
The Hand exists to be the muscle of the cult of Vecna, and is well suited for fighting. The Hand can fight with two weapons in its normal hands, and crush creatures and objects with its strange third appendage. It normally begins combat by hurling daggers at its foes, and then closes in for melee to fight with its swords.

Constrict (Ex): The Hand deals automatic slam damage with a successful grapple check.

Grip of Ruin (Su): The Hand can hold in its third hand any object that a Large creature can hold in one hand, if it does not grapple an opponent or use its slam attack with that hand in that round. The Hand drains the hardness from an object at a rate of 1d4 points per round, until the object eventually crumbles into dust when it reaches hardness 0. Magic items can resist this drain on a DC 23 Fortitude save. The save DC is Strength-based.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the Hand must hit with its slam 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 either constrict or deal strength damage or both.

Strength Damage (Su): The Hand can choose to deal 1d6 points of Strength damage on a successful grapple check. If a victim reaches Strength 0 in this way, it dies.

Arcane Awareness (Su): The Hand possesses no visual, auditory, or olfactory organs and has immunity to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, sonic effects, scent-based attacks, and other attack forms that rely on a sense of sight, hearing, or smell. Instead, the hand has blindsight out to 60 feet and cannot be flanked or caught flat-footed. These senses can be suppressed for 1 round by a dispel magic spell.

Feats: In combination with its natural abilities, the Hand’s Two-Weapon Fighting feat allows it to attack with two longswords at no penalty.

Originally found in module WGA4 – Vecna Lives! (1990, David “Zeb” Cook) and the module Die Vecna Die! (2000).


The Eye
Medium Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 12d8+36 (90 hp)
Initiative: +14
Speed: 30 ft (6 squares)
Armor Class: 24 (+4 Dex, +4 natural, +6 insight), touch 20, flat-footed 20
Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+14
Attack: Greatsword +20 melee (2d6+3/19-20) or dagger +20 melee (1d4+2/19-20)
Full Attack: Greatsword +20 melee (2d6+3/19-20) or 2 daggers +18 melee (1d4+2/19-20)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Death gaze
Special Qualities: Blindsight 60 ft, darkvision 60 ft, future insight, low-light vision, psychic tracker, spell-like abilities, telepathy 100 ft
Saves: Fort +7 Ref +12 Will +14
Abilities: Str 14, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 15, Wis 22, Cha 18
Skills: Bluff +9, Diplomacy +8, Disguise +14 (+16 acting), Gather Information +16, Intimidate +11, Knowledge (arcana) +7, Knowledge (local) +7, Knowledge (religion) +12, Search +11, Sense Motive +11, Spot +10, Survival +6 (+8 following tracks)
Feats: Investigator, Persuasive, Quick Draw, Track, Two-Weapon Fighting

Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary or cult (The Eye and The Hand, plus 1-3 clerics of 8th-12th level, plus 5-10 fighters of 2nd-6th level, plus 2-7 rogues of 3rd-6th level)
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: 10% coins; standard goods; standard items
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: ---
Level Adjustment: ---

This tall, slender humanoid has a gigantic eyeball in the place of a humanoid head, which glares menacingly. It carries a greatsword and wears long green robes, trimmed with red, and golden eyes embroidered along the hems.

The Eye, or Eye Servitor as it is sometimes known, is the first lieutenant in the cult of Vecna, answering only to the leader of the cult. This cult created this being by modifying a human, using powerful spells to bring about the transformation. It is unknown if there are more than one of these creatures, but none have ever been seen.

The Eye, as with its “brother” the Hand, was created by wizard-priest servants of Vecna, in a time when the mighty arch-lich was only a demigod striving for greater deific status. The process used to create the Eye was incredibly complex, and torturously painful for the subject. The agony of this procedure was so intense that it peeled away its essence of humanity, leaving a cold, emotionless monster. It displays several unusual behaviors as a result of its transformation. It finishes other beings’ sentences, knowing what they are going to say already. It surrounds itself with mirrors, and is fascinated by reflected images. The Eye is sadistic and cruel, and relieves its own pain and frustrations by visiting them upon others.

According to the cult priests, the Eye serves as Vecna's senses on the Material plane. It serves the Cult’s leader loyally, and is feared by the lesser members of the Cult of Vecna.

When appearing in public, the Eye wears a gray cloak with a deep hood over its robes, to conceal its head.

The Eye is stands 7 feet tall, and weighs 150 pounds.

The Eye has no mouth and so cannot speak, but can communicate telepathically with whomever it wishes.

COMBAT
The Eye was created to gain information, not to fight, but it is not without combat ability. It normally fights with a greatsword. It keeps two daggers hidden, strapped hilt down to each arm; when it cannot use its sword, it crosses its arms and whips out these daggers to fight with one in each hand.

This odd creature cannot be surprised and is superhumanly alert, with a limited precognitive sense. The Eye is lightning quick and astoundingly graceful. Its most fearsome attack is its death gaze, from which it draws sustenance. The Eye’s primary purpose is to serve as a psychic tracker for the priests of Vecna.

Death Gaze (Su): The Eye can feed on the souls of living beings by drawing them in with its gaze. This attack can be used as a free action, once per round, against a single target within 60 feet that can see the Eye. The victim must succeed on a DC 20 Will save or have its life force held in a manner similar to trap the soul. Instead of the victim’s body disappearing, it falls inert. The victim’s life force is drawn out of the body, seen by others as a ghostly version of the victim, which is then sucked into the Eye’s body and held there. The save DC is Charisma-based.

The Eye has access to all of the memories of any trapped victims. The Eye is also free to draw on all the Knowledge skills of each soul it currently stores, using the base ranks in a skill possessed by each soul, and adjusted by the Eye's own skill modifiers for the Knowledge skill in question (or its Intelligence modifier, for a skill it has no ranks in).

If the Eye is slain, any life forces trapped within it instantly return to their proper bodies. The Eye can voluntarily release any life force it has not yet devoured as a free action. A life force otherwise remains trapped within the Eye until its true body is destroyed, at which point the life force will be devoured by the Eye and permanently lost to any means short of divine intervention.

Future Insight (Su): The Eye has a precognitive insight that grants it a +6 insight bonus to AC and all its attacks. The Eye retains its Dexterity bonus to AC even if caught flat-footed or struck by an invisible attacker. Additionally, the Eye has a +6 insight bonus to initiative and always acts in a surprise round. These adjustments are already included in the stat block above.

Psychic Tracker (Su): The eye has the ability to sense an intelligent creature’s aura over long distances, if it has seen the creature directly or through scrying. The Eye can detect most creatures up to 1 mile away. Creatures with spellcasting abilities are detectable at a range in miles equal to their total caster levels.

To track a creature’s aura, the Eye must succeed on a DC 15 Search check. If it fails the check, the Eye can retry after 1 hour of meditation. If successful, the Eye can sense the creature as if by the locate creature spell.

This tracking ability can be blocked if the creature is within 30 feet of a large concentration of magical energy. If the total caster levels of spellcasters, creatures with spell-like abilities, magic items, and active spells in the area is at least 50 levels, the Eye must succeed on a DC 15 Wisdom check or lose the ability to track the creature’s aura until the creature leaves the source of magical energy. Running water does not block this ability.

Spell-Like Abilities: The following abilities are always active on the Eye’s person, as the spells (caster level 12th); clairaudience/clairvoyance, detect magic, find traps, and true seeing. They can be dispelled, but the Eye can reactivate them as a free action.

Skills: The Eye has a +4 racial bonus on Search and Spot checks.

Originally found in module WGA4 – Vecna Lives! (1990, David “Zeb” Cook) and the module Die Vecna Die! (2000).

 

[BOZ]

Apodalypse

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=106747

Apodalypse, Progeny
Tiny Aberration (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 3d8+3 (16 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 ft (4 squares), swim 30 ft
Armor Class: 15 (+2 size, +3 Dex), touch 15, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-6
Attack: Bite +7 melee (2d4)
Full Attack: Bite +7 melee (2d4)
Space/Reach: 2 ½ ft/2 ½ ft
Special Attacks: Burrow, subsume
Special Qualities: Amphibious, blindsight 60 ft, damage reduction 5/good, darkvision 60 ft, fortification, immunity to cold, keen scent, necrotic life, undead aura, unliving immunities, vulnerability to holy water, vulnerability to turning
Saves: Fort +2 Ref +4 Will +4
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
Skills: Escape Artist +8, Hide +13, Move Silently +6, Swim +8
Feats: Stealthy, Weapon Finesse

Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Cluster (1-4)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 4-6 HD (Tiny)
Level Adjustment: ---

This appears to be a wasp’s nest hanging from the ceiling, though in reality it is more like a tightly coiled snake with squamous flesh. At the end of the snake is an eyeless, shark-like head with a mouth filled with rows of sharp teeth.

An apodalypse progeny is the foul offspring of the evil parent creature. Like an adult apodalypse, this monster is partly undead and partly alive. A progeny can remain in a dormant state for years, even centuries, hanging and waiting for prey.

An apodalypse progeny is about 2 feet long when unfurled and weighs 2 pounds.

COMBAT
Progeny attack immediately when disturbed by living humanoids. They prefer to drop onto unsuspecting vitctims from above. Once active, a progeny can use its coiled length to leap up to 20 feet through the air, or to swim through water, and deliver a vicious bite.

An apodalypse progeny will try to burrow into flesh, in an attempt to subsume its victim and turn it into a mindless husk of flesh. If a progeny controls a husk for a full month, it transforms the victim’s body and becomes an adult apodalypse.

Burrow (Ex): If an apodalypse progeny hits a Small or larger living creature with a bite attack, on its next turn it can attempt to burrow into the target's flesh. The target may attempt a DC 14 Reflex save to prevent the progeny from burrowing in (a helpless creature can't prevent the burrowing). If the save fails, each round thereafter the target takes 2d4 points of Constitution damage. The save DC is Constitution-based.

If any damage is dealt to a burrowing progeny, the creature it is burrowing into takes the same amount of damage.

Subsume (Su): A burrowing apodalypse progeny will reach a creature's spinal column in 1d4+2 rounds, at which point the host automatically becomes paralyzed. Beginning with that round, the progeny will begin to digest the spinal column and lower brain stem of the victim. As the progeny eats, it replaces the spinal column with its own body, eventually attaching itself to the victim's brain when complete.

Any successful turning attempt on a progeny that is in the process of subsuming its host will kill the progeny instantly and end the subsumption.

The process of subsumption takes 6 full rounds, inflicting 2d6 hit points of damage upon the victim per round. At the end of 6 full rounds, the victim dies and the progeny takes control of the body. Subsumption prevents any form of raising or resurrection, although a wish or a miracle spell can restore the victim to life and its original form, destroying the progeny.

Amphibious (Ex): Although an apodalypse is aquatic, it can survive indefinitely on land.

Fortification (Ex): When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on an apodalypse, there is a 50% chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated, and damage is instead rolled normally.

Keen Scent (Ex): An apodalypse can notice creatures by scent in a 180-foot radius and detect blood in the water at ranges of up to a mile.

Necrotic Life (Ex): Even on a failed save, an apodalypse suffers only half damage from spells or effects that deal hit point damage due to negative energy, such as inflict spells, and with a successful save, a apodalypse suffers no damage.

Undead Aura (Ex): An apodalypse registers as an undead creature for the purposes of spells and effects that detect undead (such as detect undead). An apodalypse counts as half its HD for the purposes of aura strength.

Unliving Immunities (Ex): An apodalypse is immune to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, and death effects. An apodalypse is not subject to ability drain or energy drain. An apodalypse is immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects.

Vulnerability to Holy Water (Ex): Holy water scalds the flesh of an apodalypse, dealing 1d4 points of damage per direct hit with a flask.

Vulnerability to Turning (Ex): Any turning attempt targeting an apodalypse that would turn or rebuke an undead of the apodalypse's HD dazes the apodalypse for 1 round. A turn attempt that would destroy or command an undead of equivalent Hit Dice instead stuns an apodalypse for 2d4 rounds.

Skills: An apodalypse progeny 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 found in module Night of the Shark (1997, Bruce R. Cordell).


Apodalypse
Huge Aberration (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 13d8+65 (123 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: Swim 20 ft (4 squares)
Armor Class: 20 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +11 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+27
Attack: Bite +17 melee (4d6+10)
Full Attack: Bite +17 melee (4d6+10) and 4 extra limbs +15 melee (1d8+5)
Space/Reach: 15 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Energy drain, extra limbs, improved grab, swallow whole
Special Qualities: Amphibious, damage reduction 10/good and magic, darkvision 60 ft, fortification, immunity to cold, keen scent, necrotic life, spell resistance 21, undead aura, unliving immunities, vulnerability to holy water, vulnerability to turning
Saves: Fort +11 Ref +5 Will +11
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 13, Con 21, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 14
Skills: Listen +9, Spot +9, Swim +18
Feats: Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Multiattack, Power Attack

Environment: Any aquatic and underground
Organization: Solitary or clutch (1 apodalypse plus 1-6 progeny)
Challenge Rating: 13
Treasure: Double standard
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 14-26 HD (Huge); 27-39 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: ---

This creature from the darkest of nightmares has an unstable form, a patchwork made up of the skin of humanoids with screaming faces and flailing arms, contrasted with fish scales, octopoidal tentacles, and manta wings. This mess surrounds a massive, shark-like maw.

The apodalypse was the horrible result of a foolish experiment combining reanimated shark tissue implanted in living humanoids. The first apodalypse was created using formulae and recipes found in the unholy tome, The Nekton Fragments.

An apodalypse consists of an undead core, sheathed in a husk of still-living flesh that is constantly disintegrating and falling away. This aquatic monstrosity steals the flesh of the living to maintain its form and it’s semi-undead existence. It can spend days unmoving to conserve its stolen flesh before it is forced to go hunting for the living. When prey is plentiful, an apodalypse can release a clutch of progeny, each of which has the potential to grow into a full-fledged apodalypse.

An apodalypse is about 30 feet in diameter and weighs 10 tons.

COMBAT
An apodalypse attacks with its savage bite, trying to swallow as many opponents as possible. Creatures that die within an apodalypse have their flesh cannibalized and incorporated into the evil horror. The flesh remains faintly living while it becomes a part of the beast.

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures inside an apodalypse’s interior gain 2 negative levels each round. The DC is 18 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the apodalypse gains 5 temporary hit points.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an apodalypse 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 try to swallow the foe the following round.

Swallow Whole (Ex): An apodalypse can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of Large or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent is subject to the creature’s energy drain. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to kill the apodalypse from the inside (AC 15).

An apodalypse’s interior can hold 2 Large, 8 Medium, 32 Small, 128 Tiny, or 512 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

Extra Limbs (Ex): An apodalypse has a multitude of appendages on its body stolen from previous victims it has incorporated into its body. It may use up to four of these appendages at random in any given round, each of which usually consists of a slam, claw, bite, sting, gore, tentacle, tail slap, or wing. Each such attack form deals 1d8 points of damage of the type appropriate to the attack form (see p. 312 in the Monster Manual).

Amphibious (Ex): Although an apodalypse is aquatic, it can survive indefinitely on land.

Fortification (Ex): When a critical hit or sneak attack is scored on an apodalypse, there is a 50% chance that the critical hit or sneak attack is negated, and damage is instead rolled normally.

Keen Scent (Ex): An apodalypse can notice creatures by scent in a 180-foot radius and detect blood in the water at ranges of up to a mile.

Necrotic Life (Ex): Even on a failed save, an apodalypse suffers only half damage from spells or effects that deal hit point damage due to negative energy, such as inflict spells, and with a successful save, a apodalypse suffers no damage.

Undead Aura (Ex): An apodalypse registers as an undead creature for the purposes of spells and effects that detect undead (such as detect undead). An apodalypse counts as half its HD for the purposes of aura strength.

Unliving Immunities (Ex): An apodalypse is immune to mind-affecting effects (charms, compulsions, phantasms, patterns, and morale effects), poison, sleep effects, paralysis, disease, and death effects. An apodalypse is not subject to ability drain or energy drain. An apodalypse is immune to damage to its physical ability scores (Strength, Dexterity, and Constitution), as well as to fatigue and exhaustion effects.

Vulnerability to Holy Water (Ex): Holy water scalds the flesh of an apodalypse, dealing 1d4 points of damage per direct hit with a flask.

Vulnerability to Turning (Ex): Any turning attempt targeting an apodalypse that would turn or rebuke an undead of the apodalypse's HD dazes the apodalypse for 1 round. A turn attempt that would destroy or command an undead of equivalent Hit Dice instead stuns an apodalypse for 2d4 rounds.

Skills: An apodalypse 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 found in module Night of the Shark (1997, Bruce R. Cordell).

 

[BOZ]

Chevall

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=73262

Chevall
Horse Form
Large Fey (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 7d6+14 (38 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 60 ft (12 squares)
Armor Class: 18 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+10
Attack: Hoof +5 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: 2 hooves +5 melee (1d6+3) and bite +0 melee (1d8+1)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Summon equines
Special Qualities: Change shape, equine empathy, damage reduction 10/magic or cold iron, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +4 Ref +7 Will +6
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills: Disguise +7*, Handle Animal +12, Jump +15, Knowledge (nature) +10, Listen +13, Move Silently +10, Search +11, Spot +13, Survival +11 (+13 following tracks, +13 aboveground)
Feats: Alertness, Point Blank Shot, Run (b), Track

Centaur Form
Large Fey (Shapechanger)
Hit Dice: 7d6+14 (38 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 50 ft (10 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +4 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+10
Attack: Hoof +5 melee (1d6+3) or short bow +4 ranged (1d8/x3)
Full Attack: 2 hooves +5 melee (1d6+3) and club +0 melee (1d8+1) or short bow +4 ranged (1d8/x3)
Space/Reach: 10 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Summon equines
Special Qualities: Change shape, equine empathy, damage reduction 10/magic or cold iron, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +4 Ref +7 Will +6
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 12, Wis 13, Cha 15
Skills: Disguise +7*, Handle Animal +12, Jump +11, Knowledge (nature) +10, Listen +13, Move Silently +10, Search +11, Spot +13, Survival +11 (+13 following tracks, +13 aboveground)
Feats: Alertness, Point Blank Shot, Run (b), Track

Environment: Temperate and warm plains, forest, and mountains
Organization: Solitary or family (2-3)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually neutral good
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +2

This horse is clearly different from most animals, though it is hard to say exactly why. There appears to be a faint sparkle of intelligence in its eyes.

The chevall is a magical equine creature that has the ability to assume the form of a centaur. These beings roam about in horse form, checking on the welfare of horses in the service of humans, to make sure the beasts are treated well. If a chevall finds such an animal that has been neglected or suffered maltreatment, it will do everything in its power to free the animal.

The chevall race was created by an Immortal being named Zirchev, of the Known World of Mystara. He created the chevall to be the protector of horses in the land of Traladar, and thus they are concerned with the welfare of all equines. They were originally native to the plains, but now appear anywhere that wild or captive horses can be found.

Dogs are wary of the scent of a chevall in horse form, but horses never fear a chevall. They hate wolves, and are the instinctive blood enemies of werewolves.

Chevalls forage as they travel, and favor vegetables and grains. They also have a bit of a sweet tooth, and like fruits (particularly apples), sweet pastries, and the like. They are not vegetarians by nature, but prefer not to eat meat by choice. Chevalls will trade any treasure they acquire for food or other goods, and will bargain with centaurs, fey, elves, and other friendly creatures.

A chevall can speak Common and Sylvan while in centaur form. In either form, a chevall can speak to and understand horses, in a language that sounds nothing more than neighs and whinnies to a humanoid.

COMBAT
A chevall in centaur form is usually armed with a wooden club and short bow. While in horse form, it resorts to kicking and biting. A chevall is not aggressive, but will defend itself and any horses, and may resort to violence against a foe of its charges where there is no other recourse.

Summon Equines (Su): Once per day a chevall can summon 1d3 light warhorses or 1 heavy warhorse as a standard action. The horses arrive in 1d4 rounds. This ability is the equivalent of a 3rd-level spell.

Change Shape (Su): A chevall’s natural form is that of a horse. In this form, a chevall may be of any color (though each individual cannot change its color), and is about the size of a light warhorse.
A chevall also assume the form of a centaur; a chevall in its centaur form always assumes the same appearance and traits, much like a lycanthrope would. A chevall’s centaur form has the upper torso of a human, as with normal centaurs, and its lower body is the same as in its horse form, though somewhat smaller than the average centaur’s. The centaur form’s ears are pointed like an elf’s.
A chevall remains in one form until it chooses to assume a new one. A change in form cannot be dispelled, nor does the chevall revert to its natural form when killed. A true seeing spell, however, reveals its natural form if it is in centaur form.

Equine Empathy (Ex): In either form, a chevall can communicate and empathize with normal horses. This gives a chevall a +4 racial bonus on checks when influencing the animal’s attitude and allows the communication of simple concepts and (if the animal is friendly) commands, such as "friend," "foe," "flee," and "attack." A paladin’s mount cannot be affected by this ability, as are any other equine creatures with an Intelligence of 10 or higher.

Skills: *When using its change shape ability, a chevall gets an additional +10 circumstance bonus on Disguise checks.

Carrying Capacity: A light load for a chevall is up to 230 pounds; a medium load, 231-460 pounds; and a heavy load, 461-690 pounds. A chevall can drag 3,450 pounds.

Originally found in module B10 – Night’s Dark Terror (1986, Jim Bambra, Graeme Morris, & Phil Gallagher), AC9 - Creature Catalogue (1986), GAZ1 – The Grand Duchy of Karameikos (1987), DMR2 - Creature Catalog (1993), and Mystara Monstrous Compendium Appendix (1994).

 

[BOZ]

Orpsu

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=66479

Orpsu
Small Aberration
Hit Dice: 1d8+5 (9 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 5 ft (1 square), fly 40 ft (poor)
Armor Class: 13 (+1 size, +2 Dex), touch 13, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +0/-4
Attack: Horn +1 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: Horn +1 melee (1d6) and fang slash -4 melee (1d3)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Bleeding wound, blood drain, paralysis
Special Qualities: Darkvision 150 ft, flight, immune to mind-affecting effects, low-light vision, telepathy 20 ft
Saves: Fort +2 Ref +2 Will +3
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 14, Int 6, Wis 12, Cha 12
Skills: Listen +3, Spot +3
Feats: Flyby Attack, Toughness (b)

Environment: Temperate desert and plains and underground
Organization: Pair, family (2 orpsu plus 1-4 young), hunting pack (6-7), or colony (4-12 plus 1-4 young)
Challenge Rating: 2
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral evil
Advancement: 2-3 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: ---

This hairless beast has a small body, with four bony protrusions that project out from its body like a pair of back-to-back crescents. The front crescent curls around the creature’s raking fangs, while the rear crescent wraps around its rat-like tail, and a leathery-skinned membrane stretches out like a sheet between the four tips.

The orpsu is a decidedly nocturnal hunter that is also called a “night stirge.” While it has no relation to stirges, it is a flying predator that feeds on fresh blood. They are commonly found in temperate wastelands, and inhabit rocky places like caverns and ruins, and tall trees. They hunt in open, rolling scrubland and plains, and feast on sheep, cattle, woodland animals (particularly badgers, foxes, and otters), large birds, and even humanoids.

Orpsu live in mated pairs, and produce litters of live, instantly active and hungry young, every three summers. Such offspring remain in a family group which will eventually grow to over a dozen, and which point the oldest orpsu split off in pairs to mate and make new families in new hunting territories.

Orpsu have mottled skin of crimson, purple, mauve, or cinnamon-brown hue, which is veined and leathery. This weird creature has a prehensile tail that is too weak to hold struggling prey or wield any sort of weapon, but allows the orpsu to drag small objects or coil around a tree limb when at rest. Its razor-sharp, blade-like bony “horns” are used like wings, and an orpsu steers by angling the membranes attached to its horns and tilting its body. The orpsu has a row of 4 or more stout, downward pointing fangs; but with no lower jaw, it cannot attack by biting in the normal fashion, and thus slashes or rakes with its fangs instead. Orpsu have no legs or feet, and can only move on the ground by clumsily undulating their bodies.

An orpsu is 3 feet long, with its horns spanning over 2 feet in width, and weighs about 20 pounds.

Orpsu make no calls or noises, and only communicate with each other telepathically. This telepathic communication is incomprehensible and confusing to any other creature that is able to listen to it using magic, psionics, or other abilities.

COMBAT
Orpsu hunt only in darkness, to avoid attacks from larger predators when flying in the open. An orpsu will try to paralyze its prey before attacking, and catch and overcome most of its prey this way. If an orpsu paralyzes a victim, or comes across a sleeping or otherwise helpless creature, it will glide down and land belly-down on the prey, wrapping its tail around the body. A cluster of soft, white, flexible tentacles emerge from slits in the abdomen, which penetrate the victim’s body and begin to drain blood. It is unable to maintain a firm grip with either the tail or tentacles, and any mobile victim or assisting friend will cause the orpsu to bound into the air and fly away.

If an orpsu is unable to find suitable prey to drain blood from, it will swoop down on prey to use its natural attacks. An orpsu is relatively clumsy in flight, and instinctively attacks at an angle as it passes, leaving it able to use only one horn to attack at a time. An orpsu is at a disadvantage if knocked out of the air, so it will be careful to attack only slowed or otherwise vulnerable targets if it can help it.

Bleeding Wound (Ex): The damage an orpsu deals with its natural attacks causes a persistent wound. An injured creature loses 1 additional hit point each round. Multiple wounds result in cumulative hit point loss from bleeding. The continuing hit point loss can be stopped by a successful DC 15 Heal check (per wound), a cure spell, or a heal spell. A successful Heal check automatically stops the continuing hit point loss as well as restoring hit points.

Blood Drain (Ex): An orpsu can drain blood from a living victim by making a successful touch attack on a helpless victim. On each following round, the orpsu drains blood, dealing 1 point of Constitution damage each round it remains in contact with the victim. If the victim regains movement or if the orpsu is attacked, the orpsu detaches from the victim.

Paralysis (Su): Once per day, an orpsu can cause a single living being within 60 feet to become paralyzed. The creature must succeed on a DC 11 Will save or be paralyzed for 1d4+1 rounds. If the creature succeeds on the save, it is instead affected as by the slow spell for 1d4+1 rounds. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Flight (Ex): An orpsu's body is able to levitate naturally, practically floating on the air and using the flailing of its tail for propulsion. This allows the orpsu to fly at a speed of 40 feet, and grants the orpsu a permanent feather fall effect (as the spell) with personal range.

Telepathy (Su): An orpsu can communicate telepathically with other orpsu, provided they are within 20 feet.

Orpsu Young: Tiny aberration; CR 1/2; HD 1/2d8 (2 hp); AC 15 (touch 15, flat-footed 12); Base Atk/Grp +0/-8; Atk +1 melee (1d4-1, horn); Full Atk +1 melee (1d4, horn) and -4 melee (1d2-1, fang slash); Space/Reach 2-1/2 ft./0 ft.; Sv Fort +0, Ref +3, Will +3; Str 8, Dex 17, Con 10; Int 6; Wis 12; Cha 12;
Skills and Feats; Listen +3, Spot +3, Flyby Attack.

IN THE REALMS
Orpsu are common in Kara-Tur and the steppes, plains, and deserts that lie west of the Eastern Realms.

Originally found in Dragon Magazine #101 ("Creature Catalog III," September 1985, Ed Greenwood), FR13 – Anauroch (1991), and Monstrous Compendium MC11 - Forgotten Realms Appendix II (1991).

 

[BOZ]

Presence (and whisps)

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=66584

Presence
Small Aberration (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 11d8+11 (60 hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: Fly 5 ft (1 square) (perfect)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +3 deflection), touch 14, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +8/---
Attack: ---
Full Attack: ---
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Whisps
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/good or silver, darkform, immune to mind-affecting effects, incorporeal traits, lifesense, unnatural senses
Saves: Fort +6 Ref +3 Will +13
Abilities: Str ---, Dex 10, Con 13, Int 18, Wis 19, Cha 17
Skills: Hide +10*, Knowledge (any three) +16, Listen +15, Search +14, Sense Motive +14, Spellcraft +10, Spot +15
Feats: Alertness, Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Stealthy

Environment: Any land and underground
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Treasure: None
Alignment: Always neutral evil
Advancement: 12-22 (Small)
Level Adjustment: ---

Whisp
Tiny Aberration (Incorporeal)
Hit Dice: 1d8 (4 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: Fly 50 ft (10 squares) (perfect)
Armor Class: 18 (+2 size, +3 Dex, +3 deflection), touch 18, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/---
Attack: Incorporeal touch +13 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: Incorporeal touch 13 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 2 ½ ft/0 ft
Special Attacks: ---
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 5/good or silver, darkvision 60 ft, incorporeal traits, mindless
Saves: Fort +0 Ref +3 Will +6
Abilities: Str ---, Dex 16, Con 10, Int ---, Wis 19, Cha 17
Skills: ---
Feats: ---

This appears to be a small, swirling cloud of malevolent, unnatural darkness.

The presence is a true aberration that seems to have no real place in the world. It is highly intelligent, and spends most of its time in long-abandoned and little-frequented places, engaging in deep, introverted speculations on evil philosophy. Presences hate all creatures that are not of evil alignment. A presence has no physical senses, but is able to mentally detect nearby living creatures.

A presence is about 2 to 3 feet in diameter.

COMBAT
A presence seldom moves, and will destroy anything that disturbs its philosophical deliberations. A presence is essentially helpless, but can create “whisps”: tiny snake-like, writhing, green smoky clouds that are extensions of its life force. A presence will not create more whisps than it has hit points to spare, and will retain about half of its own hit points to defend itself in case of absolute need.

Whisps (Su): A presence can create whisps at will, using its own life force, which enable it to attack enemies. To create a whisp, a presence sacrifices four of its hit points. A presence can create as many whisps as it has Hit Dice as a standard action, and it cannot have more whisps than it has Hit Dice. A presence cannot convert all of its hit points into whisps. If the presence re-absorbs a whisp (as a free action), it regains all the hit points that the whisp had remaining.

A presence has total control over its whisps, and its control over them cannot be blocked by any means. A whisp is fast-moving and mobile, and each one moves independently, and can move up to 50 feet away from the presence. A whisp can move and attack in the same round in which it is created.

A whisp has no independent will of its own, though each one is treated as a separate creature for combat purposes. Whisps use the presence's base attack bonus, but use their own Dexterity modifier to determine their melee attack bonus with natural weapons.

Darkform (Ex): A presence’s physical form seems to consist of a shadowy illumination that grants it concealment (20% miss chance). This effect is otherwise like the darkness spell.

Lifesense (Su): A presence continually detects the presence of living creatures and their alignments within 60 feet. This functions similar to a detect undead spell, except that it detects living creatures instead of undead, and the presence is never stunned if a living creature has more than twice its Hit Dice. Additionally, this ability allows the presence to use detect evil as a free action on any living creatures it detects. Lifesense is always active.

Unnatural Senses (Su): A presence has no sense of sight, hearing, touch, smell, or taste. However, it can see and hear exactly what its whisps see and hear if it created has any. A presence can likewise make checks for any skill with Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma as its key ability, through what a whisp observes.

Skills: *A presence has a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks when hiding in shadows or areas of darkness.

Originally found in module UK2 – The Sentinel (1983, Graeme Morris).

 

[BOZ]

Tyrannabyss

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=78935

Tyrannabyss
Huge Aberration (Aquatic)
Hit Dice: 5d8+20 (42 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 20 ft (4 squares), swim 40 ft
Armor Class: 14 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+16
Attack: Tentacle rake +6 melee (1d4+5) or stinger +2 ranged (1d4+2 plus paralysis)
Full Attack: 2 tentacle rakes +6 melee (1d4+5) and stinger +0 ranged (1d4+2 plus paralysis)
Space/Reach: 15 ft/10 ft
Special Attacks: Drag, improved grab, paralysis, rend armor, stinger
Special Qualities: Amphibious, boneless, damage reduction 5/slashing or piercing, darkvision 60 ft, fast healing 1
Saves: Fort +5 Ref +2 Will +4
Abilities: Str 20, Dex 13, Con 18, Int 5, Wis 11, Cha 6
Skills: Hide –1*, Listen +3, Move Silently +3, Spot +3, Swim +13
Feats: Multiattack, Stealthy

Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or school (2-4)
Challenge Rating: 6
Treasure: 10% standard
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 6-10 HD (Huge); 11-15 HD (Gargantuan)
Level Adjustment: ---

This creature resembles a gigantic slug, with a toothy maw surrounded by four 10-foot long, clawed tentacles. On top of the creature are four short eyestalks. Beneath its mouth is a small opening, with an elongated tube protruding out from it. The creature’s slimy hide is rubbery and grey.

The tyrannabyss is a foul hunter that inhabits coastal saltwater areas, especially reefs and rocky shoals. It is usually content as a bottom feeder, prowling the sea floor in search of prey. It is smart enough to know, however, that land creatures are a good source of food, and explores buildings near the shore for an easy meal. These creatures also cling to the bottom of ships with their numerous suckers, to prey on the boat’s crew.

A tyrannabyss has a circular mouth, with rows of rasping teeth that are meant more for grinding and sawing than biting. Below this mouth is the tube from which the tyrannabyss fires its harpoon-like barbed sting. The creature’s hide is covered in a thick mucuous that leaves a trail of foul-smelling slime while moving on land. A tyrannabyss is able to swim quite rapidly for short distances by undulating its huge body.

A tyrannabyss is 20 feet long and weighs about 1,000 pounds.

COMBAT
A tyrannabyss prefers to attack using surprise, and uses its eyestalks to peek around corners, through doors, and above the surface of the water. When a victim approaches, it surges out from hiding, firing its stinger at the nearest target. If it impales a victim, the tyrannabyss will dive into the water. In melee, a tyrannabyss tries to grab a foe with its tentacles, and dive into the water – a drowned opponent does not resist. By holding a victim in place with its tentacles, a tyrannabyss is able to cut through the armor with its mouth to get to the soft flesh below.

Drag (Ex): If a tyrannabyss hits with a stinger attack, the stinger buries itself in its target, held in place by numerous barbs on the stinger's surface. Each round thereafter that a creature remains impaled by a stinger, it takes additional stinger damage automatically and incurs a cumulative -1 circumstance penalty on attack rolls, saves, and skill checks.

After impaling a victim, a tyrannabyss drags the opponent 10 feet closer each subsequent round (provoking no attack of opportunity) unless that creature breaks free, which requires a DC 21 Escape Artist check or a DC 17 Strength check. The check DCs are Strength-based, and the Escape Artist DC includes a +4 racial bonus. Either way, the stinger breaks off in the victim and the victim remains impaled. A tyrannabyss can draw in a creature within 10 feet of itself and bite with a +4 attack bonus in the same round.

The stinger has 10 hit points and can be attacked by making a successful sunder attempt. However, attacking a tyrannabyss’s stinger does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the stinger is currently attached to a target, the tyrannabyss takes a –4 penalty on its opposed attack roll to resist the sunder attempt. Severing the stinger deals no damage to a tyrannabyss, but the victim remains impaled by the severed stinger.

A creature impaled by a broken stinger takes 1d6 points of damage per round automatically until the stinger is removed. Removing a stinger (a full-round action) deals 2d8 points of damage to the victim, but if the character removing the stinger makes a successful Heal check (DC 20), this damage is reduced to 1d4 points.

A tyrannabyss can draw in a creature and make tentacle rake attacks with a +4 bonus on its attack roll in the same round. It takes 3 full rounds to rearm the stinger; in the meantime, the tyrannabyss cannot use this attack again. The stinger cannot be rearmed if it is severed or currently impaling a creature.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a tyrannabyss must hit with both tentacle attacks. 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 rend the character’s armor.

Paralysis (Ex): Living creatures hit by a tyrannabyss’ stinger must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 2d6 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Rend Armor (Ex): On a successful grapple check, a tyrannabyss pulls a character to its mouth, which rips apart any armor worn by its foe. This attack deals 2d6+7 points of damage to the opponent’s armor. Armor reduced to 0 hit points is destroyed. Damaged armor may be repaired with a successful Craft (armorsmithing) check. Creatures not wearing armor, or whose armor has been destroyed by this ability, are unaffected by this special attack, but instead take automatic bite damage each round.

Stinger (Ex): Most encounters with a tyrannabyss begin when it fires its barbed stinger. If a stinger misses its intended target, it is quickly reeled in. Reeling in the stinger is a full-round action. The stinger has a range of 10 feet (no range increment).

Amphibious (Ex): Although a tyrannabyss is aquatic, it is covered with a thick coat of mucous that allows it to survive indefinitely on land, as long as the tyrannabyss remains damp.

Boneless (Ex): The tyrannabyss has no bones or solid organs and is able to squeeze itself through openings much smaller than its apparent size. Treat the tyrannabyss as occupying a space 10 feet smaller than listed for the purposes of determining what hampers movement and when squeezing through spaces.

Fast Healing (Ex): A tyrannabyss heals only if it is submerged in seawater.

Skills: A tyrannabyss 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 tyrannabyss has the ability to assume the coloration of its surroundings, providing a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. *A tyrannabyss has an additional +8 racial bonus on Hide checks when submerged.

Originally found in Dungeon Magazine #2 (“The Keep at Koralgesh,” November/December 1986, Robert B. Giacomozzi and Jonathan H. Simmons).

 

[BOZ]

Noctral

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=68207

Noctral
Medium Outsider (Extraplanar, Good, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 5d8+10 (32 hp)
Initiative: +5
Speed: 5 ft (1 square), fly 90 ft (average)
Armor Class: 19 (+5 Dex, +4 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+9
Attack: Claw +9 melee (2d4+4)
Full Attack: 2 claws +9 melee (2d4+4) and bite +4 melee (1d4+2)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Swoop
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft, legend lore, lore keeper, spell-like abilities, spell resistance 17, superior low-light vision, telepathy, uncanny alertness, unlimited knowledge
Saves: Fort +6 Ref +9 Will +9
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 20, Con 14, Int 20, Wis 20, Cha 15
Skills: Concentration +6, Decipher Script +8, Diplomacy +7, Gather Information +8, Hide +11*, Knowledge (history) +16*, Knowledge (the planes) +15*, Knowledge (any three) +17*, Listen +18, Move Silently +11*, Search +8, Sense Motive +8, Spellcraft +8, Spot +14, Survival +7 (+9 on other planes)
Feats: Flyby Attack, Stealthy (b), Wingover

Environment: Seven Mounting Heavens of Celestia
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful good
Advancement: 6-10 HD (Medium); 11-15 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: +7

This great owl is about the same height as a tall human, with a tremendous wingspan, making the creature an impressive sight to behold. It has a heart-shaped face, with huge golden eyes. Its glossy feathers are a deep shade of red.

The noctral is a benevolent advisor and sage to the inhabitants of Celestia. Noctrals delight in every opportunity to show off their intelligence and knowledge, but have a tendency to be a bit arrogant toward lesser creatures. Noctrals are active at dusk, and at night, and are often found lecturing near places of knowledge or power. They spend most of their time providing advice to their companions, and are right more often than not. It should be noted that, despite their wisdom and stately manner, noctrals are still predators and need to hunt for food – even if it needs to kill and eat an animal while lecturing on one topic or another.

In their capacity as “the keepers of lore and the knowers of history,” any given noctral is likely to know just about anything. This is their true power, and the reason why anyone in Celestia will seek out a noctral for information. All noctrals have a vast store of general knowledge, but each one has one or more fields of expertise, much like a sage. Even if a noctral is not intimately familiar with a fact, they know much lore and can magically discern a bit of information they did not know already. A noctral will always help a good being in need, but will never share information if it believes the individual may use it for evil.

Noctrals befriend the inhabitants of their home plane, be they archons, angels, or petitioners of note. They also serve as advisors to the gods of the upper planes, allowing noctrals to exist under the protection of the gods. Should a noctral ever be harmed or killed, it is likely that one or more gods will take notice and send a powerful celestial to aid or avenge the noctral, or even intervene directly themselves.

This avian race appears much like a giant owl. Noctral plumage ranges from a deep russet, to a dove gray, and even to black. In twilight, their feathers provide them with a cloak of soft shadow.

A noctral makes a hooting call much like owls, but does not speak aloud, except through magic. Noctrals use their telepathy to communicate with intelligent creatures.

A noctral is about as tall as a human, with a 20-foot wingspan, and weighs about 100 pounds, due to its hollow bones.

COMBAT
Though normally peaceful, noctrals are powerful, dangerous predators, capable of swift, deadly attacks. They attack with their large, razor-sharp talons and hooked beaks, making their diving swoop attack when possible.

These kind, peaceful creatures prefer to find a non-violent way to resolve conflict. They typically hide from foes invisibly, hiding in total darkness and listening. When they must fight, noctrals prefer to attack from a position of surprise. When accosted by a powerful fiend, groups of skilled adversaries, or other dangerous foes, a noctral will retreat to muster help from its celestial friends.

Swoop (Ex): A noctral can execute a swoop attack that is similar to a charge action in all respects, except as noted here. The noctral must fly toward its target for a minimum of 50 feet in a straight line. If the swoop attack succeeds, the noctral can attempt to grapple the target without provoking an attack of opportunity or deal double claw damage (4d4+8 points) instead.

Discern Lies (Su): When a noctral uses its telepathy to communicate with a creature, the noctral can discern lies, as the spell (caster level 5th) as a free action. The creature can resist with a DC 14 Will save. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Legend Lore (Sp): Three times per day, a noctral can use legend lore, as the spell (caster level 15th).

Lore Keeper (Ex): A noctral has the ability to know legends or information regarding various topics, just as a bard can with bardic knowledge. The noctral adds its Hit Dice and its Intelligence modifier to the lore check, which otherwise functions exactly like a bardic knowledge check. The synergy bonus from a noctral’s Knowledge (history) skill applies to this lore check.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—invisibility, speak with animals, tongues. Caster level 8th.

Superior Low-Light Vision (Ex): A noctral can see five times as far as a human can in dim light.

Telepathy (Su): A noctral can communicate telepathically with any creature within 1 mile that has a language.

Uncanny Alertness (Ex): During the time from sunset to sunrise, noctrals are never caught flat-footed and cannot be flanked. When sleeping, a noctral may make Listen and Spot checks just as it would when awake.

Unlimited Knowledge (Ex): A noctral is not limited by its HD when assigning ranks to Knowledge skills.

Skills: A noctral has a +8 racial bonus on Listen checks and a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks.

*When in flight, a noctral gains a +8 bonus on Move Silently checks.

*A noctral has a +8 racial bonus on any Knowledge check involving its home plane.

*In twilight, a noctral’s feathers grant it a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks.

Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC8 - Outer Planes Appendix (1991, J. Paul LaFountain), and Planescape Monstrous Compendium Appendix II (1995).

 

[BOZ]

Urisk (and Lubin)

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=66479

Urisk
Small Fey
Hit Dice: 2d6+2 (9 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 40 ft (8 squares)
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +3 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 11
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-4
Attack: Head butt +1 melee (1d6-1) or handaxe +2 melee (1d4-1)
Full Attack: Head butt +1 melee (1d6-1) or handaxe +2 melee (1d4-1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft/5 ft
Special Attacks: Enhance weapons
Special Qualities: Animal companion, damage reduction 5/cold iron, low-light vision, nature stealth, pass without trace, spell-like abilities, wild empathy
Saves: Fort +1 Ref +6 Will +5
Abilities: Str 9, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 12, Wis 14, Cha 15
Skills: Balance +5, Handle Animal +9, Hide +14, Jump +3, Knowledge (nature) +6, Listen +7, Move Silently +10, Ride +10, Spot +7, Survival +2 (+4 aboveground)
Feats: Animal Affinity, Stealthy (b)

Environment: Temperate forest, mountains, and hills
Organization: Solitary or band (2-5)
Challenge Rating: 2 (Lubin 1)
Treasure: Standard coins; 10% goods; no items
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +2 (Lubin +1)

This being looks like a very short human, with the head and legs of a goat, and a small bushy tail wagging behind it. It has a human torso and arms, but its whole body is covered in shaggy brown hair.

The urisk is a rarely encountered creature of the wilderness with a similar appearance to a satyr. A urisk is a solitary wanderer with no established lair, though its small caches of gold and golden jewelry can be found buried throughout the lands it roams. It is sometimes found alone, but usually travels with mammalian companions appropriate to the terrain, such as goats, bears, sheep, rams, and deer.

Urisks are particularly friendly with gnomes and druids, and creatures of the wilderness. They are neutral towards humans, elves, halflings, and dwarves, and hate all evil humanoids such as orcs and goblins.

A urisk is 3 feet tall and weighs 45 pounds.

A urisk speaks Sylvan, Common, Gnome, Dwarf, Elf, and Orc.

COMBAT
A urisk usually attacks with its head butt, though some prefer to carry small weapons such as daggers, hand axes, clubs, and short swords. A urisk is intimately familiar with the terrain it inhabits, and can become effectively invisible to the casual observer.

Enhance Weapons (Su): A urisk gains a +1 enhancement bonus on its attack rolls when wielding a melee weapon, and the weapon is treated as magical for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction. This enhancement bonus does not stack with any other enhancement bonus on a weapon (such as the enhancement bonus of masterwork weapons or magic weapons).

Animal Companion (Su): A urisk may have up to 4 animal companions at a time. This animal is a loyal companion that accompanies the urisk on its adventures as appropriate for its kind. An animal companion is completely typical for its kind. A urisk may select any creature of the animal type of Large or smaller size, and all of its animal companions must be mammals. There is no limit on the number of Hit Dice of mammals that may serve as companions for a urisk, but any given animal may not have more than three times the number of Hit Dice as the urisk. Each of a urisk’s animal companions will be completely at ease with one another, and can work together even if they would not normally do so.

If a urisk releases one of its companions from service, it may gain a new one using its special charm ability. This charm can also replace an animal companion that has perished. A urisk may use this power four times per day, but cannot gain a new animal companion if it already has four in its service. This power functions as the charm animal spell (DC 13), except that the effect lasts until the urisk releases the animal, or the urisk or animal dies. The save DC is Charisma-based.

A urisk can handle one of its animal companions as a free action, or push it as a move action. The urisk gains a +4 circumstance bonus on all wild empathy checks and Handle Animal checks made regarding an animal companion. The animal companion will obey the urisk’s commands completely, even if it must risk its own life to do so (though it will not obey suicidal or obviously harmful orders).

Nature Stealth (Ex): A urisk can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn’t grant cover or concealment, and can use the Hide skill in any natural terrain, even while being observed.

Pass Without Trace (Su): A urisk may pass without trace (as the spell) for up to one hour a day in any terrain. The duration does not need to be continuous.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will - speak with animals; 3/day - warp wood (DC 14). Caster level 12th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Wild Empathy (Ex): This power works like the druid’s wild empathy class feature, except that the urisk has a +6 racial bonus on the check, and a +2 synergy bonus due to its Handle Animal skill.

LUBIN
The lubin is a variant species much like the urisk. They appear the same as urisks, but are 2 1/2 feet tall on average, and have black fur. Lubins live in forest and fields, and can speak Sylvan, Elf, Gnome, and Common. They are usually chaotic neutral in alignment.
Lubins and Urisks otherwise share the same tendencies and special abilities, though lubins lack the ability to take animal companions. Instead, they can cast charm person as a spell-like ability, 3 times per day.

Originally found in Dragon Magazine #94 (“Creature Catalog II,” February 1986, Roger E. Moore).

 

[BOZ]

Fire Falcon

http://www.enworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=69690

Fire Falcon
Diminutive Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 1d10 (5 hp)
Initiative: +4
Speed: 10 ft (2 squares), fly 90 ft (average)
Armor Class: 18 (+4 size, +4 Dex), touch 18, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-14
Attack: Claw +2 melee (1d4-3)
Full Attack: 2 claws +2 melee (1d4-3) and bite +0 melee (1d3-3) and 2 wings +0 melee (1d3-3)
Space/Reach: 2 1/2 ft/2 1/2 ft
Special Attacks: dive, flame spheres, wing buffet
Special Qualities: darkvision 60 ft, fierce guardian, immunity to fire, immunity to force damage, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +2 Ref +6 Will +2
Abilities: Str 4, Dex 19, Con 10, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
Skills: Hide +16, Spot +14
Feats: Flyby Attack, Multiattack (b)

Environment: Any desert and mountains
Organization: Family (2-6) or flock (6-24)
Challenge Rating: 1
Treasure: No coins; standard goods; no items
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 2-3 HD (Diminutive)
Level Adjustment: +2 (cohort)

This is a small, russet-colored raptor. It appears to be a normal bird of prey.

The fire falcon is a small carnivorous bird that lives in distant, unsettled areas. It prefers to be left in peace by larger creatures, including humanoids. Fire falcons tend to form small flocks of 3 or 4 families, and all the birds in a flock will protect the young of any other falcon. They build their nest high up on mountains if possible, or will hidden among tufts of tundra grass or in a desert mesa. They like to line their nests with shiny objects, which fascinate them.

A fire falcon is 8 inches in length, with a wingspan of 2 ½ feet, and weighs about 1 pound.

COMBAT
Fire falcons prey on small creatures such as rabbits, rodents, and other smaller birds, which can be dispatched with their normal attacks. These raptors are not aggressive, but will always attack to drive off larger intruders. Anything bigger than a fire falcon is attacked with their flame spheres at first.

If this tactic proves unsuccessful, the falcon will attack, providing the intruders continue approaching while there are young in the nest. If necessary, the fire falcon will rake with its talons and use its bite and wing attacks. It directs these attacks at the opponent’s face and hair, preferring targets with long, flowing hair over those fully clad in metal.

Dive (Ex): Once per hour, a fire falcon can move ten times its normal speed (900 feet) when it makes a flying charge attack from a higher altitude than its target.

Flame Spheres (Su): Four times per day, a fire falcon can discharge two highly flammable spheres, one from each of its wingtips up to a range of 60 ft. When they hit anything, these spheres explode in a 10-foot-radius, and deal 1d6 points of fire damage to everything in the radius. On the round following a burst, the same targets take an additional 1d6 points of damage, and an additional 1d3 points of damage on the next round. If desired, the targets can use a full-round action to attempt to extinguish the flames before taking this additional damage. Extinguishing the flames requires a DC 15 Reflex save. Rolling on the ground provides the target a +2 bonus on the save. Leaping into a lake or magically extinguishing the flames automatically smothers the fire.

Wing Buffet (Ex): If a fire falcon hits with both wing attacks, it slaps its target in the face, causing the target to lose its Dexterity bonus to AC, even if it normally cannot lose this bonus. If the target is mounted, it also loses its Dexterity bonus to Ride checks, and must succeed on a Ride check with a –10 penalty to the DC to stay mounted. The DC for the check increases by +2 for every additional fire falcon that is buffeting the target. If the target is blind, or wearing a full face helmet, it is immune to the buffet.

Fierce Guardian (Ex): A fire falcon that is guarding its young gains a +6 morale bonus to Will saves and attack rolls when its young are threatened.

Immunity to Force Damage (Ex): A fire falcon takes no damage from force effects, such as a magic missile generated by a spell or spell-like ability.

Skills: Fire falcons have a +8 racial bonus on Spot checks.


A fire falcon can be acquired as a familiar by a 5th-level arcane spellcaster with the Improved Familiar feat.

Training A Fire Falcon

A fire falcon serves readily as a hunting or guard animal, but it requires training. Training a fire falcon requires a different amount of time depending on the specific training it undergoes. See the Handle Animal skill description for more information on training and handling animals and magical beasts.

Fire falcon eggs are worth 750 gp apiece on the open market, while young are worth 1,000 gp each. Professional trainers charge 1,000 gp to rear or train a fire falcon.

Originally found in Monstrous Compendium MC14 – Fiend Folio Appendix (1992, Tim Beach).