Grapine
TheGrapine is a guard creature developed with genes from a tiger and a porcupine.Its stripes of dark burnt orange and black or brown provide excellentcamouflage in the tall grass which is its preferred habitat, and itsrazor-sharp spines, almost as hard as steel, are used to devastating effectagainst its prey .
TheGrapine strikes from cover and pounces on its prey. It attempts to grapple andto drag its prey to the ground, where its spines can finish the job. Becausethere are many creatures much easier to find and kill, the Grapine does nothave many natural predators, so it has a tendency to overwhelm all creaturesindigenous to an area.
Grapineswere created by Life Sciences to create a guard animal which would work well ingrasslands. The grapines have seen use in Africa, Australia and a few planetswith large plains, used to protect scientists, mercenaries and even in smallstrike forces as they help alert them to wild animals and other enemies thatmight be detected by normal means.
Grapinesare restricted products that require a permit costing PDC 19 for up to 4grapines. Permits for larger numbers are available, but cost more. An adultgrapine costs PDC 24, and will live for 20 +2d4 years after reaching maturity,which takes 3 years. Grapine can breed true, and can be sold in pairs formating purposes to help create a larger pool of guard animals on colonyworlds.
SpeciesTraits
Spines: During a grapple, a Grapineautomatically hits with 1d4 spines, and the spines do 1d4 +1 damage each.
Improved Grab: If a Grapine hits with itsbite attack, it may initiate a grapple attempt (Grapple bonus +12) as a freeaction without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Pounce: If a Grapine charges into combat,it can make a full round attack, including its rake attack.
Rake: If the Grapine has successfullyinitiated a grab, it may make a rake attack with its hind legs (+9 to hit). TheGrapine may also make a rake attack in any round during which it uses a pouncemaneuver.
Skill bonus: When hiding in tall grass,the Grapine gains a bonus +5 to its Hide check.
Grapine: CR 7; Large Animal; HD 9d8 +18;hp 60; Mas 17; Init +3; Spd 40 ft.; Defense 18 (+2 Dex, +7 natural, -1 size);BAB +6; Grap +13; Atk +9 melee (1d8 + 3, bite), or +6 melee (2d6 + 2, claw);Full Atk +9 melee (1d8 + 3); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SQ Spines; ALnone; SV Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +1; AP 0; Rep 0;
Str 16,Dex 17, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 9, Cha 7.
Skills:Listen +2, Move Silently +6, Hide +7.
Feats:None.
Advancement:11-15 HD (Huge).
WrinkledBattle Dog
LifeSciences, after the success of the Grapine, began work on another guardanimal type creature that people would be a bit more comfortable around.They look like strongly built cross between pit bulls and pugs, with farlarger mouths, and their body is covered in folds of skin. The folds helpkeep it warm in cooler environments and oddly also cool in warm ones. Thefolds also pull away from the muscle and bones to help prevent damage.This allows the animal to fight longer and suffer less injuries in itsrole of a guard. Wrinkled battle dogs are breed and engineered to beloyal and obedient, and work well in packs. Their smaller size allowsthem to maneuver able easily, plus combined with their high speed makes asmall pack quite deadly.
It hasbeen observed by Life Sciences staff that Wrinkled battle dogs aresubservient to Grapines, which become pack leaders. A pack of Wrinkledbattle dogs with a Grapine usually attack with having the faster battledogs harassing and attempting to herd the target into a more favourableposition for the Grapine to pounce, with a few battle dogs waiting alongwith it, then the whole pack attacks as one.
Wrinkledbattle dogs only eat about 20% more than regular dogs, but have greaterstamina, and usually sell for only twice as much as pure breeds of thesame size.
WrinkledBattle Dog
Type:Animal
Size:Small
CR: 1
HitPoints: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Mas: 15
Init: +4(Dex)
Speed: 45ft
Defense:19 (+1 size +4 natural +4 Dex)
BAB/Grap:+1/-2
Attack:Bite +4 melee (1d8+1)
FS/Reach:5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft
SpecialAttacks: Lockjaw
SpecialQualities: Loose-skinned, low light vision
Allegiances:
Saves:Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +0
ActionPoints:
Reputation:
Abilities:Str 13, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 5
Skills:Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats
odge, Improved Bull Rush, Mobility
Possessions:
Advancement:1-3 HD (Small)
Combat:
TheWrinkled battle dog relies mainly on its power and speed in combat. Injuries do not bother it overly much. They typically initiate combat with a bull rush and use their mobility to disengage and rush again if this proves effective against their opponent. Whenever it scores a solid blow with a bite, the wrinkled battle dog locks its jaws and attempts tooutlast its opponent.
Lockjaw(Ex): When a wrinkled battle dog scores a hit with its teeth, it has theoption of locking its extremely powerful jaws onto its victim. It losesits Dexterity bonus to Defense, but each round thereafter it does bitedamage automatically.
Loose-skinned(Ex): Because of its loose skin, the wrinkled battle dog sustains only halfdamage from piercing and ballistic weapons.
BlackHarvester
The creature is a scorpion, as wide as a human and half again as high, withmetal-tipped claws and stinger. The carapace gleams in any available light; indarkness, the luminescent slime oozing from the mouth on its belly is clearlyvisible.
This creature was commissioned for Life Sciences to create a creature that wasable to aid a race that was fighting another race that used extensive use ofcybernetics. The cybernetic race could easily replace their wounded by scavengingthe cybernetics from the fallen and implanting them in new recruits. So thecommissioner wanted a way to remove the cybernetics from the equation. LifeSciences presented the black harvester which performed quite well.
A black harvester is a giant scorpion, about 10 feet long and 6 feet wide. Itscarapace is a dark red in colour, sometimes deepening to a bruised blacklightening to a sickly green. Its pincers and tail stinger gleam with flakes oforganic metal, and a slightly bioluminescent slime drips from the smalltrapdoor mouth on its underbelly.
Black harvesters are carnivores, but their main source of sustenance is notanimal flesh, but cybernetic technology. Special organs inside the creaturebreak cybernetic devices down into component parts, then dissolves those partsinto nutrients that feed the harvester. Other special organs sense the chemicaland energy signatures from cybernetic technology interaction with organicmatter, allowing it to smell cybernetic devices in its vicinity. Another organallows it to shut down those devices with a specialized energy pulse. Thisleaves users of cybernetic implants stunned and in pain for several minutes,during which the black harvester rips them apart for its sweet cyberneticprey.
A black harvester's digestive system courses with immuno-suppressant hormonesthat break down any implants it devours. These immuno-suppressants can bedrained and preserved with care for use in cybernetic implantation process,oddly enough.
Gathering immuno-suppressants from a dead black harvester requires a DC 15Knowledge (Earth and Life Sciences) check and takes 15 minutes. The check mustbe attempted within 1 hour of the creature's death, or the organs will haveputrefied into uselessness. The character obtains one dose ofimmuno-suppressant on a successful check, plus an additional dose for every 2points by which the result exceeded the check DC (to a maximum number of dosesequal to the creature's hit dice).
Life Sciences warns not to unleash black harvesters into a conflict area whereone has users with cybernetic devices. A black harvester has a PDC of 20. Ablack harvester can live up to 20 years. If a mating pair are purchased, up to1d6+2 eggs can be laid once every 9 months, which take about 4 months to hatch.A young black harvester takes about 1 year to reach full size after it moltsabout 3 or 4 times.
Black Harvester
Type: Vermin
Size: Large
CR: 6
Hit Points: 6d8+12 (39 hp)
Mas: 20
Init: +1
Speed: 30 ft
Defense: 17 (+1 Dex, +7 natural -1 size) touch 10, flat-footed 16
BAB/Grp: +4/+12
FS/Reach: 10 ft / 10 ft
Attacks: 2 Claws +7 melee (1d6+4), tail stinger +2 melee (1d8+2 plus poison)
Special Attacks: Cybernetic disruption
Special Qualities: Cybernetic digestion, poison, resistance to massive damage,sense cybernetics
Allegiances:
Saves: Fort +7, Reflex +3, Will +2
Reputation:
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Hide -1, Listen +2, Move Silently +3, Spot +7
Feats: Dodge, Skill Focus: Hide, Skill Focus: Move Silently
Possessions:
Advancement: 7-8 HD (Large), 9-10 HD (Huge)
Combat
The black harvester pays attention to organisms lacking cybernetics only whenit's very hungry and can't find any of its favoured food supplies. Then itapplies the same tactics it does most of the time when hunting sources ofcybernetics: once its senses detect biotech, it tries to sneak up as close aspossible, disrupt the biotech in its targets, and charge in to use its stingerand then its claws. If the target remains capable of active resistance after 6rounds, the black harvester usually withdraws to prepare anotherambush.
Cybernetic Digestion (Ex): A black draws nutrients and strength from any graftor implant that it eats. Eating a piece of cyberware requires a move action andattracts attacks of opportunity. For the next 5 rounds after eating a piece ofcyberware, the creature gains fast healing 1, +5 feet of movement and a +2circumstance bonus on all attack and damage rolls.
Cybernetic Disruption (Ex): Once every 1d4 rounds, a black harvester may createan electromagnetic pulse that disrupts the workings of cybernetic grafts andimplants within 30 feet. This is an attack option. Devices that are not in useare automatically disrupted. If the item is in use, the user can make a DC 13Fortitude save to allow the device to keep functioning. If the user hasmultiple grafts or implants, he must make a save for each. Affected cyberneticdevices become non-functional for 1d6 minutes. If an implant is disrupted,though, the user is disoriented and wracked with pain; the character must makea DC 13 Fortitude save or be stunned for a number of rounds equal to the numberof implants that have shut down, after which the character is left shaken foran additional 1d6 rounds.
Poison (Ex): The black harvester's tail stinger contains a powerful venom. Anycharacter damaged by the stinger must make a DC 19 Fortitude save or take 1d4points of temporary Strength damage; a second Fortitude save must be made oneminute later to avoid another 1d4 points of temporary Strength damage.
Sense Cybernetic (Ex): A black harvester can smell cybernetic grafts andimplants even when those implants are inside a living being. It can detect anycybernetic device within 200 feet with a successful Spot check (made againstthe Hide check result of the device's user, or DC 15 for unattendeddevices).
Immuno-Suppressant:
When harvested from a black harvester, this solution reduces recovery time forcybernetic implantation by one third, and the DCs by 2. One dose has a PDC of14.
TheGrapine is a guard creature developed with genes from a tiger and a porcupine.Its stripes of dark burnt orange and black or brown provide excellentcamouflage in the tall grass which is its preferred habitat, and itsrazor-sharp spines, almost as hard as steel, are used to devastating effectagainst its prey .
TheGrapine strikes from cover and pounces on its prey. It attempts to grapple andto drag its prey to the ground, where its spines can finish the job. Becausethere are many creatures much easier to find and kill, the Grapine does nothave many natural predators, so it has a tendency to overwhelm all creaturesindigenous to an area.
Grapineswere created by Life Sciences to create a guard animal which would work well ingrasslands. The grapines have seen use in Africa, Australia and a few planetswith large plains, used to protect scientists, mercenaries and even in smallstrike forces as they help alert them to wild animals and other enemies thatmight be detected by normal means.
Grapinesare restricted products that require a permit costing PDC 19 for up to 4grapines. Permits for larger numbers are available, but cost more. An adultgrapine costs PDC 24, and will live for 20 +2d4 years after reaching maturity,which takes 3 years. Grapine can breed true, and can be sold in pairs formating purposes to help create a larger pool of guard animals on colonyworlds.
SpeciesTraits
Spines: During a grapple, a Grapineautomatically hits with 1d4 spines, and the spines do 1d4 +1 damage each.
Improved Grab: If a Grapine hits with itsbite attack, it may initiate a grapple attempt (Grapple bonus +12) as a freeaction without provoking an attack of opportunity.
Pounce: If a Grapine charges into combat,it can make a full round attack, including its rake attack.
Rake: If the Grapine has successfullyinitiated a grab, it may make a rake attack with its hind legs (+9 to hit). TheGrapine may also make a rake attack in any round during which it uses a pouncemaneuver.
Skill bonus: When hiding in tall grass,the Grapine gains a bonus +5 to its Hide check.
Grapine: CR 7; Large Animal; HD 9d8 +18;hp 60; Mas 17; Init +3; Spd 40 ft.; Defense 18 (+2 Dex, +7 natural, -1 size);BAB +6; Grap +13; Atk +9 melee (1d8 + 3, bite), or +6 melee (2d6 + 2, claw);Full Atk +9 melee (1d8 + 3); FS 10 ft. by 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft.; SQ Spines; ALnone; SV Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +1; AP 0; Rep 0;
Str 16,Dex 17, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 9, Cha 7.
Skills:Listen +2, Move Silently +6, Hide +7.
Feats:None.
Advancement:11-15 HD (Huge).
WrinkledBattle Dog
LifeSciences, after the success of the Grapine, began work on another guardanimal type creature that people would be a bit more comfortable around.They look like strongly built cross between pit bulls and pugs, with farlarger mouths, and their body is covered in folds of skin. The folds helpkeep it warm in cooler environments and oddly also cool in warm ones. Thefolds also pull away from the muscle and bones to help prevent damage.This allows the animal to fight longer and suffer less injuries in itsrole of a guard. Wrinkled battle dogs are breed and engineered to beloyal and obedient, and work well in packs. Their smaller size allowsthem to maneuver able easily, plus combined with their high speed makes asmall pack quite deadly.
It hasbeen observed by Life Sciences staff that Wrinkled battle dogs aresubservient to Grapines, which become pack leaders. A pack of Wrinkledbattle dogs with a Grapine usually attack with having the faster battledogs harassing and attempting to herd the target into a more favourableposition for the Grapine to pounce, with a few battle dogs waiting alongwith it, then the whole pack attacks as one.
Wrinkledbattle dogs only eat about 20% more than regular dogs, but have greaterstamina, and usually sell for only twice as much as pure breeds of thesame size.
WrinkledBattle Dog
Type:Animal
Size:Small
CR: 1
HitPoints: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Mas: 15
Init: +4(Dex)
Speed: 45ft
Defense:19 (+1 size +4 natural +4 Dex)
BAB/Grap:+1/-2
Attack:Bite +4 melee (1d8+1)
FS/Reach:5 ft by 5 ft/5 ft
SpecialAttacks: Lockjaw
SpecialQualities: Loose-skinned, low light vision
Allegiances:
Saves:Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +0
ActionPoints:
Reputation:
Abilities:Str 13, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 5
Skills:Listen +6, Spot +6
Feats

Possessions:
Advancement:1-3 HD (Small)
Combat:
TheWrinkled battle dog relies mainly on its power and speed in combat. Injuries do not bother it overly much. They typically initiate combat with a bull rush and use their mobility to disengage and rush again if this proves effective against their opponent. Whenever it scores a solid blow with a bite, the wrinkled battle dog locks its jaws and attempts tooutlast its opponent.
Lockjaw(Ex): When a wrinkled battle dog scores a hit with its teeth, it has theoption of locking its extremely powerful jaws onto its victim. It losesits Dexterity bonus to Defense, but each round thereafter it does bitedamage automatically.
Loose-skinned(Ex): Because of its loose skin, the wrinkled battle dog sustains only halfdamage from piercing and ballistic weapons.
BlackHarvester
The creature is a scorpion, as wide as a human and half again as high, withmetal-tipped claws and stinger. The carapace gleams in any available light; indarkness, the luminescent slime oozing from the mouth on its belly is clearlyvisible.
This creature was commissioned for Life Sciences to create a creature that wasable to aid a race that was fighting another race that used extensive use ofcybernetics. The cybernetic race could easily replace their wounded by scavengingthe cybernetics from the fallen and implanting them in new recruits. So thecommissioner wanted a way to remove the cybernetics from the equation. LifeSciences presented the black harvester which performed quite well.
A black harvester is a giant scorpion, about 10 feet long and 6 feet wide. Itscarapace is a dark red in colour, sometimes deepening to a bruised blacklightening to a sickly green. Its pincers and tail stinger gleam with flakes oforganic metal, and a slightly bioluminescent slime drips from the smalltrapdoor mouth on its underbelly.
Black harvesters are carnivores, but their main source of sustenance is notanimal flesh, but cybernetic technology. Special organs inside the creaturebreak cybernetic devices down into component parts, then dissolves those partsinto nutrients that feed the harvester. Other special organs sense the chemicaland energy signatures from cybernetic technology interaction with organicmatter, allowing it to smell cybernetic devices in its vicinity. Another organallows it to shut down those devices with a specialized energy pulse. Thisleaves users of cybernetic implants stunned and in pain for several minutes,during which the black harvester rips them apart for its sweet cyberneticprey.
A black harvester's digestive system courses with immuno-suppressant hormonesthat break down any implants it devours. These immuno-suppressants can bedrained and preserved with care for use in cybernetic implantation process,oddly enough.
Gathering immuno-suppressants from a dead black harvester requires a DC 15Knowledge (Earth and Life Sciences) check and takes 15 minutes. The check mustbe attempted within 1 hour of the creature's death, or the organs will haveputrefied into uselessness. The character obtains one dose ofimmuno-suppressant on a successful check, plus an additional dose for every 2points by which the result exceeded the check DC (to a maximum number of dosesequal to the creature's hit dice).
Life Sciences warns not to unleash black harvesters into a conflict area whereone has users with cybernetic devices. A black harvester has a PDC of 20. Ablack harvester can live up to 20 years. If a mating pair are purchased, up to1d6+2 eggs can be laid once every 9 months, which take about 4 months to hatch.A young black harvester takes about 1 year to reach full size after it moltsabout 3 or 4 times.
Black Harvester
Type: Vermin
Size: Large
CR: 6
Hit Points: 6d8+12 (39 hp)
Mas: 20
Init: +1
Speed: 30 ft
Defense: 17 (+1 Dex, +7 natural -1 size) touch 10, flat-footed 16
BAB/Grp: +4/+12
FS/Reach: 10 ft / 10 ft
Attacks: 2 Claws +7 melee (1d6+4), tail stinger +2 melee (1d8+2 plus poison)
Special Attacks: Cybernetic disruption
Special Qualities: Cybernetic digestion, poison, resistance to massive damage,sense cybernetics
Allegiances:
Saves: Fort +7, Reflex +3, Will +2
Reputation:
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 10
Skills: Hide -1, Listen +2, Move Silently +3, Spot +7
Feats: Dodge, Skill Focus: Hide, Skill Focus: Move Silently
Possessions:
Advancement: 7-8 HD (Large), 9-10 HD (Huge)
Combat
The black harvester pays attention to organisms lacking cybernetics only whenit's very hungry and can't find any of its favoured food supplies. Then itapplies the same tactics it does most of the time when hunting sources ofcybernetics: once its senses detect biotech, it tries to sneak up as close aspossible, disrupt the biotech in its targets, and charge in to use its stingerand then its claws. If the target remains capable of active resistance after 6rounds, the black harvester usually withdraws to prepare anotherambush.
Cybernetic Digestion (Ex): A black draws nutrients and strength from any graftor implant that it eats. Eating a piece of cyberware requires a move action andattracts attacks of opportunity. For the next 5 rounds after eating a piece ofcyberware, the creature gains fast healing 1, +5 feet of movement and a +2circumstance bonus on all attack and damage rolls.
Cybernetic Disruption (Ex): Once every 1d4 rounds, a black harvester may createan electromagnetic pulse that disrupts the workings of cybernetic grafts andimplants within 30 feet. This is an attack option. Devices that are not in useare automatically disrupted. If the item is in use, the user can make a DC 13Fortitude save to allow the device to keep functioning. If the user hasmultiple grafts or implants, he must make a save for each. Affected cyberneticdevices become non-functional for 1d6 minutes. If an implant is disrupted,though, the user is disoriented and wracked with pain; the character must makea DC 13 Fortitude save or be stunned for a number of rounds equal to the numberof implants that have shut down, after which the character is left shaken foran additional 1d6 rounds.
Poison (Ex): The black harvester's tail stinger contains a powerful venom. Anycharacter damaged by the stinger must make a DC 19 Fortitude save or take 1d4points of temporary Strength damage; a second Fortitude save must be made oneminute later to avoid another 1d4 points of temporary Strength damage.
Sense Cybernetic (Ex): A black harvester can smell cybernetic grafts andimplants even when those implants are inside a living being. It can detect anycybernetic device within 200 feet with a successful Spot check (made againstthe Hide check result of the device's user, or DC 15 for unattendeddevices).
Immuno-Suppressant:
When harvested from a black harvester, this solution reduces recovery time forcybernetic implantation by one third, and the DCs by 2. One dose has a PDC of14.