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Message: <blockquote data-quote="D.Shaffer" data-source="post: 3240426" data-attributes="member: 8918">Hoop Snake - CR 2 Magical BeastHoop SnakeIn the distance, you see a long tail rise from the ground and curl forward forming a hoop shape.  As you watch, the hooped creature starts spinning in your direction.  As the creature closes rapidly, you make out that it is a reddish brown snake, about 5 feet long and grabbing its own tail with its mouth.  As it gets closer you can see a large stinger in the snake's tail that drips a clear liquid.  You are only given a few moments to react as the snake barrels toward you.Hoop Snake CR 2Always Neutral Medium Magical beast Init +4; Senses Darkvision 60 ft., Lowlight Vision, Scent; Listen +4, Spot +9---------------------------------------------AC 17, touch 14, flat-footed 13, Wheel Shape(+4 Dex, +3 natural)hp 13 (2 HD)Immune AcidFort +4, Ref +7, Will +0---------------------------------------------Speed 20 ft. (4 squares), Climb 20 ft., Swim 20 ft. Wheel ShapeMelee Sting +6 each (1d4 + Poison)Atk Options Defoliant, PoisonSpecial Actions Rolling UpSpace 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft.Base Atk +2; Grp +2---------------------------------------------Abilities Str 10, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 2Feats Weapon FinesseSkills* Balance +12, Climb +12, Hide +8, Listen +4, Spot +9, Swim +8Includes +4 racial bonus to Hide, Listen and Spot checks, and +8 racial bonus to Balance, Climb, and Swim checks. A hoop snake makes climb checks using its Dex modifier.Advancement 4-5 HD (Large)---------------------------------------------Defoliant (Ex) The venom in the hoop snake's tail is notoriously poisonous, even effecting trees and bushes with its toxicity. Plants are not immune to the poison of the hoop snake like they are with most poisons.Poison (Ex) Injury, Fortitude DC 16, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus. Wheel Shape (Ex) The hoop snake is able to travel at higher speeds by holding its tail in its mouth and rolling along like a wheel, however it is less able to dodge incoming attacks while doing so. The hoop snake may spend a move action to assume wheel shape. In this position, its speed increases to 60 ft. but it loses its dex bonus to AC. It may let go of its tail as a swift action.---------------------------------------------The hoop snake is an aggressive serpent named after its unique mode of movement. Its poison is incredibly venomous for its size, felling the largest creatures in moments.STRATEGIES AND TACTICSHoop snakes are incredibly aggressive, if not very bright.  The hoop snake will use its wheel shape ability to rapidly close the distance, trusting in its high speed to allow it to outrun its victims.  It will also use this ability to outrun any predators it feels it can not handle.  Unlike many predators, the hoop snake is not afraid of groups, and will single out what it perceives as the largest for its initial strike. Typically it will approach the target using wheel shape, uncurl using a swift action, and then attack with its stinger.  Single minded, the hoop snake will attack a single target until it stops moving, stinging it several times if the poison does not seem to be taking effect.  While waiting for its victim to die, the hoop snake will defend itself from other attackers, but is quite content to ignore them.  If attacks are persistent, it will resume wheel shape and make its escape, coming back several minutes later to devour the poisoned victim.ECOLOGYHoop snakes are reptiles and strict carnivores. An adult hoop snake is about 5 foot long from mouth to tail, although larger hoop snakes have been known to exist.  Hoop snakes mate once a year, with the female laying a clutch of 3-4 eggs in out of the way places. Both parents defend the nest until the eggs hatch. Young hoop snakes are born fully venomous and are abandoned after hatching.The hoop snake's venom is a highly potent necrotoxin that destroys the tissues it touches. This serves to help predigest the prey and allows the hoop snake to feed on much larger animals then other snakes.  The bitten area quickly turns black as the tissue dissolves. The black patch spreads as the venom travels through the body. The toxin has a similar effect on plants, acting as a defoliant and withering agent.  The mouth of the hoop snake, while similar to that of a normal snake, has changed to better suit its diet. The teeth help slice through skin and hide which allows the snake to enter into the body and suck out the semi digested slurry of its victims.  Because of its power, many wizards believe the hoop snake did not develop naturally.Predatory birds enjoy feeding on hoop snakes as their mode of movement often makes then high visible from the air.  Several creatures which have developed immunity to poison will also feed on the stinging serpents.Environment: Hoop snakes live in prairies and other flat, grassland areas. They avoid terrain such as forests or swamps as these interfere with their wheeled movement.Typical Physical Characteristics: An adult hoop snake is around 5 feet long. Its tail holds a large, barbed stinger beneath its tip. Its head is not as heavily muscled as that of most vipers, but shares the same characteristic shape. Its coloration varies but is usually black, brown, or muddy red.Alignment: Hoop snakes are unconcerned with alignment and not intelligent enough to really worry about it, making them all Neutral.TYPICAL TREASUREHoop snakes do not collect treasure. Any treasure found will be on the remains of past and current victims.CREATURE LORECharacters with ranks in Knowledge (Arcane) and Knowledge (Nature) can learn more about the hoop snake. When a character makes a successful skill check, the following lore is revealed, including the information from lower DCs.Knowledge (Arcane)12 This rolling reptile is a hoop snake, an aggressive serpent with a stinging tail. This result reveals all magical beast traits.17 The hoop snake can curl into a hoop like shape, thus its name. while doing so it can move very fast, but is not as able to dodge incoming blows.22 Highly venomous, the hoop snake's poison is known to kill plants as well as animals.Knowledge (Nature)15 Hoop snakes have the head of a viper, but they lack the fangs. They still inject venom, but they do it through the sting in their tail.20 Hoop snakes are very aggressive during the initial attack, but are almost passive after killing.</blockquote>

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