Pathfinder 1E Sharktopus: Scourge of Golarion!

[Leopold]

I got bored out of my skull and saw that someone had created a Modern D20 version of this critter but why should ModernD20 have all the fun when Golarion DEMANDS this critter!

Without further ado, the first round of SHARKTOPUS!

*Note: Please feel free to leave comments.


Sharktopus
A monstrous shark swimming toward you with a swarm of tentacles trailing behind it.

Sharktopus CR 22
XP 615,000

TN Gargantuan animal (aquatic)

Init +1; Senses Blindsense (30 ft.), Perception +24, Keen Scent (180 ft.

DEFENSE
AC 27 , touch 7, flat-footed 26

( -4 size, +1 Dex, +20 natural )
hp 363 (36d8)+216

Fort +26, Ref +21, Will +12

Defensive Abilities Ferocity

OFFENSE
Speed 10 ft., climb 10 ft., swim 80 ft.

Melee bite +36 (3d6+19/19-20 plus grab), 10 tentacles +33 (2d6+11/20 plus grab)

Face 20 ft.; Reach 20ft, 30 ft.(tentacles)

Special Attacks Capsize, Constrict (2d6+11), Grab, Swallow Whole (3d6+13, AC 17, 36 hp)

STATISTICS
Str 36, Dex 13, Con 22, Int 1, Wis 10, Cha 2

Base Atk +27; CMB +44 (+46 bullrush) (+48 grapple) (+48 overrun) (+48 sunder); CMD +55 (+57 vs bullrush) (+57 vs overrun) (+57 vs sunder)

Feats Alertness, Awesome Blow, Cleave, Diehard, Endurance, Great Cleave, Greater Overrun, Greater Sunder, Greater Vital Strike, Improved Bull Rush, Improved Critical (Bite), Improved Overrun, Improved Sunder, Improved Vital Strike, Power Attack, Snatch, Multiattack, Vital Strike

Skills Climb +26, Perception +24, Swim +33,

Special Qualities Amphibious, Keen Scent (180 ft.)

SPECIAL ABILITIES
Amphibious (Ex)

You have the aquatic subtype, but you can survive indefinitely on land.

Capsize (Ex)

A sharktopus can attempt to capsize a boat or ship of its size or smaller by ramming it as a charge attack and making a combat maneuver check. The DC of this check is 25 or the result of the boat captain's Profession(sailor) check, whichever is higher
Constrict (Ex)

You can crush an opponent, dealing 2d8+11 bludgeoning damage, when you make a successful grapple check (in addition to any other effects caused by a successful check, including additional damage).

Ferocity (Ex)

You remain conscious and can continue fighting even if your hit point total is below 0. You are still staggered and loose 1 hit point each round. You still dies when your hit point total reaches -22.

Grab (Ex)

If you hit with the indicated attack (usually a claw or bite attack), you deal normal damage and can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Grab works only against opponents at least one size category smaller than you. You have the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use the part of your body you used in the grab to hold the opponent. If you choose to do the latter, you takes a -20 penalty on your CMB check to make and maintain the grapple, but do not gain the grappled condition itself. A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless you also have the constrict special attack. If you do not constrict, each successful grapple check you make during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, you deal constriction damage as well. You receive a +4 bonus on combat maneuver checks made to start and maintain a grapple.

Keen Scent (Ex)

A sharktopus can notice creatures by scent in a 180-foot radius underwater and can detect blood in the water at ranges of up to a mile

Swallow Whole (Ex)

If you begin your turn with an opponent grappled in your mouth, you can attempt a new combat maneuver check. If you succeed, you swallow your prey, and the opponent takes bite damage. The opponent can be up to one size category smaller than you. Being swallowed causes a creature to take damage each round. A swallowed creature keeps the grappled condition, while you do not. A swallowed creature can try to cut its way free with any light slashing or piercing weapon for 36hp AC 17, or it can just try to escape the grapple. If a swallowed creature cuts its way out, you cannot use swallow whole again until the damage is healed. If the swallowed creature escapes the grapple, success puts it back in your mouth, where it may be bitten or swallowed again.



---------Updates:
1. Upped AC by 5. Dropped Bite and Tentacle Damage.

 

[SolitonMan]

Tremendous! I can only imagine the groans of terror when this dude hits the beach!

One question, as a gargantuan creature shouldn't the face and reach be more like 20 ft?

Actually, this reminds me of an old joke. Sharktopus, Frankenfish and Mansquito walk into a bar...

 

[Borthos]

Why is the AC only 22? shouldn't it be more? and if it's in the water, the dex should definitely be higher than 13. both octopi and sharks move very well in water, but I don't think the strength should be 36. what about changing it to 30, and dex to 22? idk, i'm just brainstorming.

 

[Kvantum]

2e D&D Dark Sun (!) already had a shark-cephalopod, the Squark, the scourge of the Last Sea of Athas.

Or was it the Silt Sea around Guistenal? I forget where it was, but D&D's seen a sharktopus-type thing already.

 

[Gorbacz]

Erm ... one Hold Monster (or any Will save spell) and this one's history ...

 

[Leopold]

Thank you all for the comments. Tweaking and feedback is most appreciated!

Range: I'll double check the reach range. The tentacles reach out farther than the face because, well they are tentacles.

AC and Dex: AC was a ballpark shot at the monster. The bullets really didn't bounce off it's hide in the movie (9mm ones did) and it did take damage from grenades. Can't make it's hide too impossibly tough or it'll be nigh impossible to kill. Dex I left at that amount as it really is a giant shark with tentacles and a tiger shark has a 10 DEX and a sea serpent has 14.

STR: The sheer amount of brute force this sucker has for ripping apart destroyers, boats, people, buildings, helicopters is what led me to give this thing a bit more STR.

Squark: Yes there was a sharktopus type monster out there, I saw that as a possible reference. I know such a thing has already existed in prior editions but not in 3.x/PF format. The conversion I used was based off D20Modern my M. Tresca http://www.examiner.com/rpg-in-national/monster-madness-sharktopus .

Hold Monster: Good point. The monster is fairly beefy to tackle physically and smart PCs might toss spells at it to weaken it up. If the DM has an option to take Sharktopus on the high seas then watching this monster ram and rip apart ships the PCs are on might cause them to be a bit distracted. Every monster has to have a weakness and in the movie Sharktopus was prone to be "reprogrammed" if you were close enough to it.

 

[GlassEye]

I think this needs to be looked at in relation to the monster creation section in the bestiary. For example, average damage: a creature at CR 20, two less than the Sharktopus, has an average high damage of 120 points. Sharktopus? Average damage of 236. I would drop the bite to 2d8 and the tentacles to 2d6.

Why is the AC only 22? shouldn't it be more? and if it's in the water, the dex should definitely be higher than 13. both octopi and sharks move very well in water, but I don't think the strength should be 36. what about changing it to 30, and dex to 22? idk, i'm just brainstorming.

Interestingly, I think its DEX needs to be dropped. It's a gargantuan creature. Something of that size just can't move with the same agility as a smaller creature. I do agree that it's AC is too low. Using an ancient red dragon as comparison, also a gargantuan creature, it has a +33 natural modifier to its AC (and a DEX of 8).

Also, switching its type to Aberration would help with its Will save issues.

 

[James Jacobs]

Best post of the month!

 

[Leopold]

I think this needs to be looked at in relation to the monster creation section in the bestiary. For example, average damage: a creature at CR 20, two less than the Sharktopus, has an average high damage of 120 points. Sharktopus? Average damage of 236. I would drop the bite to 2d8 and the tentacles to 2d6.

Damage: When I first looked at the tentacles and bite damage I saw the 2d8/2d6 for a bit and thought "That doesn't seem like it would do enough damage at all". Perhaps taking that tidbit of avg damage into perspective considering it does have not only 1 bite, 10 tentacles, possible swallow whole, and constrict damage that mayyybeee it's a touch much.

I'll fix that one.

Interestingly, I think its DEX needs to be dropped. It's a gargantuan creature. Something of that size just can't move with the same agility as a smaller creature. I do agree that it's AC is too low. Using an ancient red dragon as comparison, also a gargantuan creature, it has a +33 natural modifier to its AC (and a DEX of 8).

My thought with pushing this AC upto a silly level and giving it too much AC means it's harder to hit. . Take the Sea Serpent with a Dex roughly the same size:

Sea Serpent - Pathfinder_OGC

It's not as tough as a dragon, it's a feeding/killing machine with a boatload of HP and many attacks.

Also, switching its type to Aberration would help with its Will save issues.

Interesting idea. That might actually solve a few problems.

I looked at this and the only benefit is a higher will save. Now making it a magical beast would give it more HP, better BAB, but still keep the same saves. I could take off a feat and give it Iron Will.

 

[ruemere]

This creature is going to be a toast if hit with ranged attacks. Illusions or any ongoing effect will also have a field day with it.
Considering that this is a waterborne version of Tarrasque, I would say that you should go for similar array of special defensive abilities.

For example:

- Transcendence of Will (Ex) Whenever makes a successful Will save, the source of effect is affected by this effect if applicable.

- Transcendence of Fortitude (Ex) Whenever makes a successful Fortitude save, the source of effect is affected by this effect if applicable.

- Projection of Monstrous Bloodlust (Su) Three times per day, whenever prevented from reaching its intended prey, the creature may project its intense bloodlust toward the prey. The prey is affected as per Phantasmal Killer spell, with save DC being 10 + 1/2 creature's hitdice + Charisma bonus. This is a fear mind-affecting ability.

- Bloodsense (Ex) May track any bleeding creature (any creature which took physical damage and was not treated with Healing skill or Cure spell, or any creature subjected to Bleeding effect) within one mile. May use Blindsense against such creature within 120 feet.

- Calling the Blood (Su) Three times per day, by projecting its bloodlust over large area, the creature may affect all living being susceptible to bleeding, with Bleeding. This is a 480 feet radius burst effect, centered on the creature. The bleeding lasts for 2 rounds and the amount of damage is equal to number of creature hitdice, i.e. 36. Successful Fortitude save, at DC 10 + 1/2 creature's hitdice + Charisma bonus, negates the bleeding.

- Ominous Aura (Ex) Mere passing of the creature may induce fear and awe. If taking a move action, all beings within 480 feet, including those without Line of Sight or Lince of Effect toward the creature, are Shaken unless they save vs Will at DC 10 + 1/2 creature's hitdice + Charisma bonus. Creatures already affected by this ability, or those who made the save, are not affected for 24 hours. This is a fear mind-affecting ability.


Regards,
Ruemere