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Message: <blockquote data-quote="BOZ" data-source="post: 198174" data-attributes="member: 1241">DARKTENTACLEScthulu-esque enough for ya?  <img src="https://cdn.jsdelivr.net/joypixels/assets/8.0/png/unicode/64/1f642.png" class="smilie smilie--emoji" loading="lazy" width="64" height="64" alt=":)" title="Smile    :)"  data-smilie="1"data-shortname=":)" />DARKTENTACLESLarge Aberration (Aquatic)Hit Dice: 9d8+27 (67 hp)Initiative: +5 (Dex, Improved Initiative)Speed: 2 ftAC: 17 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +7 natural)Attacks: 36 slams +9 (or by weapons)Damage: Slam 1d2+4Face/Reach: 5 ft by 10 ft/20 ft (with tentacles)Special Attacks: Improved grab, constrict 1d6+4, charm gaze, hold gaze, sphere of force, beakSpecial Qualities: SR 23, amorphous, darkvision 140 ft, tremorsense, scent, all-around vision, moisture (vulnerability)Saves: Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +10Abilities: Str 19, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 14, Wis 14, Cha 17Skills: Hide +8, Intimidate +11, Listen +12, Search +11, Spot +16, Swim +10Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, MultiattackClimate/Terrain: Any marshOrganization: SolitaryActivity Cycle: AnyChallenge Rating: 9Treasure: StandardAlignment: Always chaotic evilAdvancement: 10-18 HD (Large); 19-27 HD (Huge)The darktentacles is a fell, alien creature that hunts in marshes.  These amphibious predators are intelligent and cunning, never sleeping and vengeful in the extreme.   This creature’s slightly amorphous body is black and glistening with moisture.  It is about the size of a cow, though it can change its size, and is practically covered in tentacles.  It may have as many as 50 tentacles at a time, but is only capable of maintaining 36 at the full length of 20 feet, at which length they are capable of attacking or wielding weapons.  These tentacles are covered in small, shielded eyes, which provide normal sight as well as darkvision.   This monster’s mind is alien; though highly intelligent it appears to live only to eat.  It tends to lurk in water, waiting for prey to come along that it may drown them.  They can live in jungles, rivers, or on the banks of other shallow waters, but prefer the environment of a swamp.  Sages speculate this creature may have been the ultimate result of crossbreeding between ropers and trappers, though how it gained its squid-like appearance is unknown.COMBATThe darktentacles is a true terror in battle, and is capable of fighting as many opponents as are within reach.  It has the option of making as many as 36 slam attacks in the hope of constricting an opponent, or it can wield weapons in some of its tentacles.  It is effectively proficient in all simple and martial weapons, and can wield two-handed weapons in one tentacle.  It can attack one opponent with a maximum of five tentacles per round, only two of which may wield weapons without hampering or damaging the other tentacles.  The darktentacles may also wield any magic items that don’t require speech, fine manual dexterity, or being of a specific race or class.   A single attack to a tentacle that deals seven or more hit points of damage, or a cumulative total of 14 or more hit points, will cause the tentacle to retract in pain for one round, letting go of anything it is holding.  A damaged tentacle will absorb the damage and attack again in the next round.  Only attacks totaling 20 hit points of damage or more in a single round will sever a tentacle completely.   The special sensory organs that give a darktentacles its darkvision, tremorsense, and scent special qualities are geared towards providing sensation in the water; when the monster is not submerged, these senses are significantly less powerful.   Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the darktentacles must hit with at least one slam attack.  The darktentacles can grab more than one opponent at a time.  If it gets a hold, it can constrict.  The grab is more effective if more tentacles hold an opponent, as indicated below.   If a victim is held by one tentacle, the creature suffers a –1 penalty to its attack roll.   If a victim is held by two tentacles, the creature suffers a –2 penalty to its attack roll, a –1 penalty to armor class, and its speed is halved.   If a victim is held by three tentacles, the creature suffers a –3 penalty to its attack roll and armor class, and cannot move more than 3 feet from its current position.   If a victim is held by four tentacles, the creature suffers a –4 penalty to its attack roll and armor class, loses its Dexterity bonus to armor class, and cannot move away from the darktentacles.  The monster will try to charm its victims if it grabs with four or more tentacles.   If a victim is held by five tentacles, the creature suffers a –5 penalty to its attack roll, a –3 penalty to armor class, loses all bonuses to armor class except for natural armor, and cannot move around at all.   Constriction (Ex): A darktentacles that maintains a hold on a victim with one or more of its tentacles causes an automatic 1d6 points of constriction damage per round.   Victims trapped in the monster’s tentacles may make a Strength check to take an action that would be prevented by the darktentacles’ grip, other than attack rolls.  If the monster is not actively trying to charm a creature, it will bring its tentacles into the water to try to drown a constricted opponent.  Such a victim may break the surface of the water on two successful Strength checks in one round: one to reach the surface, and another to clear the mouth and nose to breathe.   Charm Gaze (Sp): A darktentacles has a charm attack, identical in effect to the charm monster spell, that it can use against creatures that are conscious but held securely in place, 3 times per day.  By holding a tentacle in the air in front of a trapped creature’s eyes, the eyes on the darktentacles force the creature to make a Will save (DC 17) or feel compelled to help the monster.  The darktentacles communicates telepathically with its thralls, using them to attract food.   Hold Gaze (Sp): A darktentacles has a hold monster power, which is used in the same way as its charm power, that can be used up to 5 times per day.  The victim must succeed at a Will save (DC 17) or be hold motionless, and left to drown by the darktentacles.   Sphere of Force (Sp): A darktentacles can create a sphere of force, which is a spherical version on the wall of force spell, and can use this spell-like ability once per week.  This sphere can have a maximum of a 60 foot radius, has a range of 90 yards, and will form around any matter than breaks its boundaries, encompassing that object or any water in its area of effect.  Thus, it can be made into a hemisphere by placing its center on the ground or a wall.  This effect lasts only for as long as the darktentacles maintains concentration on it, which is usually just long enough to escape from dangerous foes or trap prey.   Beak (Ex): A darktentacles only uses its mouth to eat meat, but creatures in melee with this monster may become caught in one of its three beak-like orifices.  Any creature driven into one of the darktentacles’ mouths, or accidentally stepping into one must succeed at a Reflex save (DC 15) or suffer 3d4 points of damage.   Amorphous (Ex): A darktentacles is not subject to critical hits.  It has no clear front or back, so it cannot be flanked.  A darktentacles is able to flatten out its mass that it may cover a larger area.  It can easily cover a 10 ft by 10 ft area, and can stretch out to provide even more coverage.   All-Around Vision (Ex): The darktentacles’ tentacles are covered in eyes, allowing them to see everything around them at once, with both normal vision and darkvision.  Their many eyes give them a +8 racial bonus to Spot and Search checks, and they can’t be flanked.   Moisture (Ex): A darktentacles must keep its body moist, through total immersion in water for at least an hour per day, or it will lose one Hit Die until it can recover.   Skills: * Darktentacles receive a +8 racial bonus to hide checks when submerged in murky or swamp water.The darktentacles first appeared in the Ruins of Undermountain boxed set (1991), and then in the Monstrous Compendium Annual Two (1995).</blockquote>

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