# Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales



## Cleon (Nov 9, 2008)

Since things seem to be dreadfully slow on Homebrews at the moment, I'll try to liven things up a little by posting some D&D monster versions of some of the fabulous creatures of Lumberjack's tall tales.

The main source of information I've used is William T Cox's _*Fearsome Critters of the Lumberwood*_, but I've also took bits of info from the GURPS Bestiary, a Paul Bunyan book, assorted websites and even a science fiction novel, plus a few ideas of my own.

It's quite bizarre that GURPS Bestiary is the only RPG I know of which features any of these beasties. There are loads of games with stats for Japanese monsters such as tengu but so few with North American monsters?

I've come across few d20 versions of these beasties on Enworld and elsewhere, but didn't pay much heed to them since I prefer to take my own shot at them. They're formatted according to the late 3.0/early 3.5 D&D template á la the reissued Fiend Folio, partially because I statted some of these creatures up according to the 3.0 format a few years ago and it made them easier to convert, and partially because I don't think the latest monster-format offers much of an improvement.

The focus is on such Lumberjack Critters as will serve DMs as actual monsters, I'm not planning to write up stats for those creatures pose scant threat to mankind, such as the Squonk, which have no attacks and a propensity for dissolving into tears. Monsters will probably appear rather slowly, and I may post some of them in an incomplete version in an effort to turn this thread into a cooperative venture. We'll just have to wait and see how things turn out, since I don't have much of an plan for how things will go.

EDIT: I've added *a post to the Ultimate Homebrew Index* containing links to all the Lumberwoods Monsters on this thread.
 
So, without any further preamble, here's the first Fearsome Critter:


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## Cleon (Nov 9, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Whirling Whimpus*

*Whirling **Whimpus
*Large Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 7d10+21 (58 hp)
*Initiative:* +4
*Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares)
*Armor* *Class:* 18 (–1 size, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 15
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +7/+17
*Attack:* Claw +12 melee (1d6+6/19-20)
*Full* *Attack:* 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+6/19-20) and bite +7 melee (1d8+3)
*Space/Reach:* 10 ft./10 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Spin attack, whirling doom
*Special* *Qualities:* All-around facing, blurred movement, low-light vision, scent
*Saves:* Fort +8, Ref +9, Will +1
*Abilities:* Str 22, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 9, Cha 6
*Skills:* Balance +20*, Move Silently +9, Spot +4
*Feats:* Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Critical (claw)B, Mobility
*Environment:* Temperate forests
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 6
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 8–14 HD (Large); 14–21 HD (Huge)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_What looks like an eight-foot grey-brown tornado spins to a stop before you, resolving into a vaguely gorilla-like bipedal creature with thick fur, oversized arms with huge clawed forepaws but comically short and bandy legs and a barrel-chested torso supporting a broad head with a fang-crammed maw, yellow eyes and a pair of small, stumpy horns.
_
A whirling whimpus is a peculiar creature that spends most off its life in a spin. A whimpus has the odd ability to rotate its head, shoulders, hips and waist completely independently of each other, and can do so at great speed without even getting giddy. A typical specimen stands about 8 feet in height, and weighs around 800 pounds.

Whirling whimpuses are omnivores who only eat high-value foods like honey, nuts and roots, their favourite food is meat. Whirling burns up a lot of energy, giving them ravenous appetites, so whimpuses spend most of their waking moments seeking out food. During winter and other lean times they can enter a torpid state to save energy, although this is not true hibernation. 

*Combat
*Whirling whimpuses like to use whirling doom to invisibly wait on game trails until a prospective victim blunders into them. When attacking a group of creatures they will jump into their midst to launch spin attacks, making good use of their combat reflexes and mobility feats.

*All-Around* *Facing* *(Ex)
*A whirling whimpus constantly turns about, and can change their facing in an instance. A whimpus can attack in any direction with equal faculty and can not be flanked, as long as it is not immobilized.  This ability permits a whirling whimpus to apply the dodge bonus from its Dodge Feat against every opponent it faces, not just one.
  
*Blurred* *Movement* *(Ex)
*A whirling whimpus can revolve so fast its exact position is hard to judge. This grants the whimpus concealment (20% miss chance) from attackers, as long as it is not immobilized.

*Spin* *Attack* *(Ex)
*As a standard action, a whirling whimpus can spin around and make a single claw attack against everything in a circle whose radius equals the whimpus's reach. A spin attack rolls to attack every object the whimpus could reach, including inanimate objects and allies.

*Whirling* *Doom* *(Ex)
*Once per hour, a whirling whimpus can turn itself invisible by spinning at incredible speed while vibrating in a certain fashion. It cannot turn objects it carries invisible unless it swallows them. The whimpus must spend a full-round action each round to maintain the effect, so it can only move using a step action unless it elects to end the whirling doom.

Any solid obstacle entering a space adjacent to a whimpus using whirling doom, such as an opponent walking up to it, is automatically struck by two critical-hit claw attacks (2d6+12 plus 2d6+12 hit points of damage for an standard whirling whimpus). This causes the whirling doom to end. Note that the whirling doom claw attacks only have a 5' reach, not the greater reach of the whimpus's normal claw attacks.

A whimpus using whirling doom emits a strange droning sound, seeming to come from somewhere overhead, which can be noticed with a DC 15 Listen check. A DC 21 Knowledge (Nature) or Knowledge (Arcana) check is needed to identify the threat represented by this sound. Finding the precise location of the whimpus without getting close enough for it to step into whirling doom range requires a contest of Listen or Search against the whimpus's Move Silently bonus, or the use of such stratagems as _see invisibilty_, probing with ten-foot poles or throwing objects into spaces the whimpus may be standing in.

*Skills
*Whirling Whimpuses have a +16 racial bonus to Balance checks as long as they're capable of movement, due to gyroscopic stabilisation.

*Lore Checks
DC 16* - A whirling whimpus is an aggressive forest creature that is always hungry, they fight like spinning whirlwinds, leaping into the midst of their foes.
*DC 21* - A whirling whimpus will stand in one spot and spin to fast it is invisible, flaying alive any creature who walks into it. An invisible whirling whimpus produces a strange droning sound, which experienced lumberjacks know to keep an ear out for.
*DC 26* - A whirling whimpus is nearly impossible to outflank or knock over because they can spin around so fast. The best way to distract one is with honey or fresh meat.

[_note whirling whimpuses lack darkvision, unlike standard Magical Beasts_]

*Southern Devil** Whimpus
*In the Great Southern Continent lives another species of whimpus capable of a rudimentary use of tools and humanoid languages. Although still aggressive, they are less dangerous than the northern whirling whimpus since not only do they lack the whirling doom attack, the combination of minds just as dim as other whimpuses and understanding speech makes them highly susceptible to Bluff and Diplomacy [_especially from awakened hares _].

Southern whimpuses are capable of forming agreements with other creatures, and may even live and trade with other species in relative peace. They frequently spit and slur their words when speaking.

A southern devil whimpus uses the same stats as a whirling whimpus, except for the following changes:
 
Remove Whirling Doom from *Special Attacks*.
*Skills:* Balance +20*, Survival +4, Spot +4
Speaks Common and Sylvan.
*Environment:* Warm forests and deserts
*Organization:* Solitary, pair or family group (2-8)
*Challenge Ratio:* 5


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## demiurge1138 (Nov 9, 2008)

Very cool! As I said last time there was a thread on fearsome critters from American folklore, I love tall-tale monsters. The whirling whimpus is really well-done--good mechanics on the whirling doom ability. 

I should point out that it should only get that +1 dodge bonus to AC against one target with the feat as written (but I know that's a very common house rule). Does it have a dodge bonus from another source?


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## Cleon (Nov 9, 2008)

demiurge1138 said:


> Very cool! As I said last time there was a thread on fearsome critters from American folklore, I love tall-tale monsters. The whirling whimpus is really well-done--good mechanics on the whirling doom ability.
> 
> I should point out that it should only get that +1 dodge bonus to AC against one target with the feat as written (but I know that's a very common house rule). Does it have a dodge bonus from another source?




I gave it the dodge bonus from its All-Around Facing, but some of the text got lost in transit. That's easily fixed.

Do you think the Challenge Rating's right? I was thinking its ability to launch an ambush from invisibility followed it up with 10' radius whirlwind attacks deserved a CR kick, it's pretty effective against the typical "gang up on the solo monster" tactic.


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## freyar (Nov 9, 2008)

I'd say the CR looks fair.  I like it!


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## Cleon (Nov 9, 2008)

freyar said:


> I'd say the CR looks fair.  I like it!




Thanks Freyar. I think the Whirling Whimpus is my favourite of the Lumberwood beasties so far. I derived considerable amusement from the Southern Devil Whimpus.

Hmm, maybe the Southern Whimpus should be CR5, as it's vulnerable to social attacks and lacks Whirling Doom. I might tweak it later.

In other news, I should post another critter by Tuesday or Wednesday.


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## demiurge1138 (Nov 9, 2008)

Yeah, I'd definately say that the Southern Devil Whimpus should go down in CR. It's not really gaining anything, and losing the Whimpus' signature attack.


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## Cleon (Nov 10, 2008)

demiurge1138 said:


> Yeah, I'd definately say that the Southern Devil Whimpus should go down in CR. It's not really gaining anything, and losing the Whimpus' signature attack.




Great minds think alike, I'll bump it down to CR 5 then.


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## Cleon (Nov 11, 2008)

Right-ho, I'm just about to post the second critter.

I guess I should add a post to the Ultimate Homebrew Index so these beasties are less likely to get lost in the mists of the internet.

Once I have a passel of them finished how would I go about submitting them for the *Creature Catalogue's*, assuming such a thing is possible? That's a bit academic at the moment, since the CC's New Monsters page wasn't working the last few times I checked it.

I'll check in every day or so for feedback, the next critter will probably turn up over the weekend, eager to bushwack some poor greenhorn.


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## Cleon (Nov 11, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Gumberoo*

*Gumberoo*
 Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 5d10+35 (62 hp)
*Initiative:* +1
*Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares)
*Armor* *Class:* 18 (+1 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +5/+15
*Attack:* claw +11 melee (1d4+6)
*Full* *Attack:* 2 claws +11 melee (1d4+6) and bite +6 melee (1d8+3)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Gorge, improved grab
*Special* *Qualities:* Darkvision 60 ft., explosive, low-light vision, resilience, resistance to cold 10, resistance to electricity 10, ricochet, robust build, scent, vulnerability to fire [_50% extra damage_], vulnerability to piercing [_50% extra damage_]
*Saves:* Fort +11, Ref +5, Will +5
*Abilities:* Str 23, Dex 13, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
*Skills:* Listen +5, Survival +5, Swim +10
*Feats:* Endurance, Track
*Environment:* Temperate forests
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 7
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 6-9 HD (Medium) 
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_At first glance the animal ambling towards you looks to be an excessively fat black bear, but a second look sees it lacks a bear's fur coat, being completely hairless apart from eyebrows and whiskers on its muzzle and chin, while its head and jaws are larger and appear more powerful than a genuine bear. The beast's hide is smooth and rubbery, with no sign of wrinkles, coloured the shiny black of charcoal.
_
A gumberoo is a very rare bear-like omnivore that prefers to lair in the hollow bases of enormous, burned-out cedar trees, which may at least partly account for its charcoal-like colour and odour. They spend most of their time sleeping in their lairs, from which they occasionally sally forth on frightful rampages to devour anything even vaguely edible they happen upon. Hungry gumberoos commonly roam the borders of burned-out sections of forest, and are fearsomely relentless in the pursuit of a good meal.

A typical gumberoo is some 5 feet long and has a base weight of about 400 pounds, not including the weight of any food it has eaten. Gumberoos can pack in many times their own weight in food, distending their body until it's practically globular, without appearing to cause any discomfort or quell the beast's ravenous appetite. With their elastic flesh and powerful jaws a gumberoo can to devour an entire moose in one sitting - bones, antlers, hooves and all.

The body of a gumberoo is supernaturally tough and resilient, invulnerable to the teeth or claws of any animal native to its range and nigh impenetrable to human weapons. Any missile that fails to penetrate its hide will rebound upon the attacker with equal force. These creatures have one extraordinary weakness, their flesh is incredibly inflammable. Gumberoos have been known to explode like a keg of smoke-powder after being touched by a flame as small as a candle.

Gumberoos are confident in their invulnerability and show no concern about enemies, but have an understandable trepidation about flames and lightning. This may account for them lairing in burned-out trees and rocky caves, since such places are unlikely to catch fire.

*Combat
*A Gumberoo simply saunters up and uses its claw attacks to try to grapple opponents and stuff them into its mouth. They make no effort to avoid attackers unless threatened with fire or electricity damage.

*Explosive (Ex)*
Whenever a gumberoo takes damage from fire or electricity it needs to make a Fortitude saving throw against a DC equal to 10 plus the hit points of fire and electrical damage inflicted. Failure results in the gumberoo expiring in a frightful explosion that inflict 6d6 points of bludgeoning damage and 6d6 points of fire damage to everything within a sixty foot radius burst, with a DC 19 Reflex save to take half damage. The saving throw is Con-dependent.

*Gorge (Ex)
*On a successful grapple check, a gumberoo can inflict 2d8+9 points of damage by biting its opponent.

*Improved Grab (Ex)
*To use this ability, a gumberoo must hit with a claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity.

*Robust Build (Ex)*
A gumberoo is treated as one size category larger than it actually is for purposes of calculating its grapple check and carrying capacity. An average gumberoo has a carrying capacity of 1800 pounds.

*Resilience (Ex)*
Blows from weapons and sonic attacks have no effect upon a gumberoo, simply bouncing off or being absorbed without causing any injury, unless the damage rolled in a single attack equals or exceeds the gumberoo's hit points. If this should happen, the gumberoo's body bursts, killing the beast and inflicting 6d6 points of bludgeoning damage to everything within a thirty foot radius burst, with a DC 19 Reflex save to take half damage. Piercing attacks are more likely to cause a gumberoo to go 'Pop!', due to the beast's vulnerability to piercing damage.

The DC of the Reflex saving throw is Con-dependent.

*Ricochet (Su)*
Any ranged weapon that fails to penetrate a gumberoo's Resilience will rebound toward whoever shot it at the creature. The ricocheting missile tries to strike the originator of the attack with a +5 attack roll, plus any magical bonuses, using the same damage result as the ranged attack rolled against the gumberoo.

*Skills
*A gumberoo has a +4 racial bonus on Swim checks.

 *Lore Checks
DC 16* - A gumberoo is a very rare forest animal resembling a fat, furless bear, usually encountered in burned out areas of forest. The only things gumberoos fear are fire and lightning, they have no natural enemies and will not hesitate to attack adventurers and other wilderness explorers.
*DC 21* - Gumberoos spend most of their time hibernating, generally beneath burned out cedar trees. They are ravenously hungry when awake. They have a virtually impenetrable hide that bounces missiles back at whoever shoots at the beast.
*DC 26* - The body of a gumberoo is highly volatile, and they can explode with terrifying force if lit on fire or struck with sufficient force.


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## Cleon (Nov 11, 2008)

Cleon said:


> *Gumberoo*
> *Challenge* *Rating:* 6?




Now the Gumberoo was, if anything, trickier to judge a CR for than the Whirling Whimpus. It's one of those one trick ponies which may be a ghastly foe for some parties and a push-over for those who know its secret (i.e. shoot flaming arrows and _fireballs _from a safe distance rather than try to melee with a nigh-invulnerable exploding bear-beast).

In case you were curious, I did a bit of editing to the Whirling Whimpus post to prettify the formatting and clear-up the language of the Whirling Doom description. I didn't make any changes to the substance of the entry.


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## Cleon (Nov 11, 2008)

Oh, and if you're wondering where the gumberoo's resistance to cold and electricity come from, I imagine it being explained by Old Jeb the backwoodsman as follows:

"A bolt of elektrickery dat wud knock down a mule barely feels like a tickle to a gumberoo, like tha critter were standin' in a double set of galoshes. And its hide keeps it warmer than a triple-layer mink coat, despite it being all nekkid like, if ya'll pardon me French. I believe dem eggheads call it _insoolation_."

"When I tol' Cleon a Gumberoo's hide be _rubbery_, it ain't just a figure o' speech."


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## demiurge1138 (Nov 11, 2008)

So, a gumberoo is resistant to electricity, but if any damage gets through, it might pop?


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## Cleon (Nov 11, 2008)

demiurge1138 said:


> So, a gumberoo is resistant to electricity, but if any damage gets through, it might pop?




That's not quite how I imagine it. Electricity that gets through the resistance causes the gumberoo to *explode *if it fails the Fort save.

The gumberoo 'pops' (just as messily but for less damage) if it takes sufficient damage from a weapon or sonic attack.

To make sure the gumberoo's likelihood of saving against exploding felt right, I worked out a few sample DCs for the likelihood of a Gumberoo (Fort save +11) exploding when hit by various attacks from a 6th level character, as follows:

 *Explosive Sums
**Torch *- 1 fire, DC 11. 5% failure chance (inc +50% damage from vulnerability)
*Alchemist's Fire* - 1d6 fire, average DC 15. 15% failure chance
*Shocking Grasp* - 5d6 electricity, average DC 17/–. 25%/– failure chance (inc. resist electricity 10) - _Not recommended, since it's a Touch attack!
_*Flaming Sphere* - 2d6 fire, average DC 20. 40% failure chance
*Lightning Bolt* -  6d6 electricity, average DC 21/–. 45%/– failure chance (inc. resist electricity 10)
*Fireball *- 6d6 fire, average DC 41/25. 95%/65% failure chance (inc fire vulnerability)* - **Boom!*

Incidentally, the folktale gumberoo is *completely invulnerable *to human-scale non-fiery weapons, not even the impact of a six inch shell could harm one. Having them pop when struck hard enough was something I lifted from a SF novel's version of the gumberoo, in which they were basically like D&D's Gas Spores.

Since D&D doesn't support impenetrable Damage Resistance since 3rd edition began I wrote up what is effectively DR = hp effective against piercing/slashing/bludgeoning/sonic damage, but if it's exceeded the gumberoo automatically goes pop.


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## demiurge1138 (Nov 12, 2008)

Ah. I missed the distinction between popping and exploding on my first read-through.

...doesn't 12d6 seem pretty harsh for the explosion damage? Especially since there doesn't seem to be a saving throw.


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## Cleon (Nov 12, 2008)

demiurge1138 said:


> Ah. I missed the distinction between popping and exploding on my first read-through.
> 
> ...doesn't 12d6 seem pretty harsh for the explosion damage? Especially since there doesn't seem to be a saving throw.




Oh blast, I forgot the saving throw - should be Reflex for half damage. I'll go in and add it.

It was intended to be harsh though. Gumberoo's burn like a mix of cellulose and gunpowder. Old Jeb tells me some tourist tried to take one's picture with a flash-camera once, and they could only found his fillings after the explosion.

Basically, I wanted it to be sufficient damage to threaten the lives of a 6th level party at full health, comparable to a death-trap designed to wipe them out in one action.

The high explosion damage is one reason I'm wondering about tweaking the CR up to 7. Alternatively, I wondered about making the number of dice equal to the Gumberoo's Hit Dice (e.g. 5d6 fire and 5d6 bludgeoning for the explosion, or just 5d6 for a 'pop'), which I quite like the notion of at first, but decided against.


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## freyar (Nov 12, 2008)

I kind of like the explosion and popping damage being tied to HD, but I think it's ok as if if you bump CR to 7.  It's pretty tough!

It's interesting how vulnerability to piercing interplays with resilience.  Might be worth calling that out in the description.  I probably would have written this ability differently, but this is pretty fun!

On a point you raised upthread, I'm not sure if the CC would take these (the page is working again, I think), but, if not, I could eventually copy these into a PDF for you to host somewhere, if you like.


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## Cleon (Nov 12, 2008)

freyar said:


> I kind of like the explosion and popping damage being tied to HD, but I think it's ok as if if you bump CR to 7.  It's pretty tough!




Yes, my thinking was the intensity of the explosion just depends on the body-mass of the gumberoo going *blam!*, not the critter's vitality or how good it is in a fight (e.g. HD).

I think I will tap up the CR to 7. I guess an exploding gumberoo would probably knock off around 25% of a 7th level party's hp & healing resources. It was a tricky one too judge.



freyar said:


> It's interesting how vulnerability to piercing interplays with resilience.  Might be worth calling that out in the description.  I probably would have written this ability differently, but this is pretty fun!




Good idea, I'll add a bit in the Resilience description. Hmm, "Piercing attacks are more likely to cause a gumberoo to go 'Pop!', due to the beast's vulnerability to piercing damage."



freyar said:


> On a point you raised upthread, I'm not sure if the CC would take these (the page is working again, I think), but, if not, I could eventually copy these into a PDF for you to host somewhere, if you like.




Thanks for the offer, I don't think we ought to worry about it until I've got at least a half-dozen Lumberwood Critters here on Homebrews, since it's best to do them in a batch anyway.


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## Cleon (Nov 15, 2008)

Okay, time for another Critter me thinks, so here is the Silver Cat.

Unless my memory fails me, this was the first monster I ever statted up for 3rd edition D&D, shortly after 3.0 came out. This D&D 3.5 version is not much different from the original design, unlike the Whirling Whimpus which I did a lot of fiddling about with.


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## Cleon (Nov 15, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Silver Cat*

*Silver Cat*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 4d10+8 (30)
*Initiative:* +4
*Speed:* 10 ft. (2 squares), climb 40 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 18 (+4 Dex, +4 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 14
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +4/+7
*Attack:* Tail +7 melee (2d6+4)
*Full* *Attack:* Tail +7 melee (2d6+4/19-20) or bite +7 melee (1d6+4)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft. (tail 10 ft.)
*Special* *Attacks:* Bush-thwack
*Special* *Qualities:* Climbing dependency, foliage screen, low-light vision, scent
*Saves:* Fort +6, Ref +8, Will +6
*Abilities:* Str 16, Dex 18, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 8
*Skills:* Balance +12*, Climb +11*, Hide +8*, Jump +11*, Listen +6, Move Silently +11*, Spot +6
*Feats:* Alertness, Improved Critical (Tail)
*Environment:* Temperate forests
*Organization:* Solitary or pair
*Challenge* *Rating:* 3
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 5-8 HD (Medium) 
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_A puma-sized feline crouches on a tree limb, glaring red eyes glowering down upon you from a horned head. Its tail is a club-tipped lash twice the length of a man. The animal is covered in handsome fur, golden yellow with black and silver spots, which counterfeits the patterns of light scattered through foliage._

A silver cat resembles a mountain lion in general shape- flat curly horns on its head and a 12-foot long tail. Its prehensile tail is extraordinarily powerful and ends in a bony mace. One side of this tail-club is smooth and ridged, the other side is covered in hooked spines. A typical silver cat is about five feet long, excluding the tail, and weighs about 150 pounds.

Silver cats spend virtually their entire lives in trees. They won’t even climb down to eat on the ground, but use the spiny side of their tails to hoist prey into the tree-tops and dine among the branches. A silver cat is so specialised for living in trees that it is very clumsy on the ground. Its clawed paws are shaped for holding onto branches and tree-trunks, not walking upon flat surfaces.

Silver cats are so-called because of their silver spots, they are also known as sliver cats due to the barbs on their tails and a confusion with the lumberwood critter the splinter cat. They have no use for treasure, though their beautiful skins are of considerable value to fur-traders.

*Combat*
Silver cats wait on tree limbs over paths or game trails for a victim to pass under them, then smash them on the head with their deadly tails. If a group of targets passes beneath it, it waits to attack the last of them, hoping the rest of the group will carry on without noticing the loss of their trailing companion - make a contest of Move Silently versus Listen. If the target is knocked unconscious, the silver cat hauls its victim up into its tree to deliver a leisurely Coup de Grace with its bite.

*Bush-Thwack (Ex)
*If a silver cat can attack a victim unawares from above, it can deliver a special sneak attack with its tail as a full-round action. This attack has a +4 circumstance bonus to attack and does double damage if it hits. The victim must make a DC 15 Fortitude Save or be knocked unconscious for 1d6+4 rounds. The Save DC is Strength dependent.

*Climbing Dependency (Ex)*
A silver cat is very ungainly when using its land speed rather than its climb speed, suffering a -4 circumstance penalty on all its attack and damage rolls, Armour Class, Dex and Str based skill checks and Reflex Saves.
The adjusted stats of an average silver cat on the ground are:
*AC* 14, touch 10, flat-footed 10; *BAB/Grapple* +0/+3; *Attacks*: Tail +3 melee (2d6/19-20) or bite +3 melee (1d6); *Saves* Fort +6, Ref +4, Will +6; *Skills:* Balance +8*, Climb +7*, Hide +4*, Jump +7*, Listen +6, Move Silently +7*, Spot +6

*Foliage Screen (Su)
*A silver cat can magically distorts the appearance of foliage to conceal itself behind even thinly spread branches, leaves and shadows. The silver cat needs to spend a move action every round it uses Foliage Screen. This effect gives a silver cat three-quarters concealment as long as it is among foliage, so attacks directed against it have a 30% miss chance. Foliage Screen also gives the silver cat a +8 circumstance bonus on Hide checks amid vegetation. The power can be dispelled as an Illusion (Glamour) effect (spell caster level 4th), although the sliver cat can reinitiate it as a move action on its next initiative. A _see invisibility_ spell does not counteract the concealing glamour, but _true seeing_ spell will.

*Skills*
A silver cat has a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks and +8 racial bonus on Climb, Jump and Balance checks. All these racial bonuses increase by four, to +8 and +12 respectively, when a silver cat is in a tree. A silver cat can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.
An average silver-cat's tree-adjusted skills are as follows, including the +8 circumstance bonus on Hide checks from its Foliage Screen special quality:
Balance +16*, Climb +15*, Hide +20*, Jump +15*, Listen +6, Move Silently +15*, Spot +6

*Lore Checks*
*DC 13* - A silver cat is a horned feline with a tremendously long tail that ends in a barbed club. They are ambush predators which hunt in temperate forests.
*DC 18* - Silver cats wait upon tree-limbs that hang over trails to bushwack victims passing below them, bashing their heads with their flail-like tail. They use their prehensile tails to hoist their prey into the tree rather than descending to feed at ground level.
*DC 23* - Being built purely for climbing trees, silver cats are critters who can only stagger awkwardly around when down on the ground. Their fur matches the pattern of a tree's foliage so closely they're right difficult to see or hit when amongst the branches. Knock them off their perch and half the battle is won.


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## Cleon (Nov 15, 2008)

The silver cat is another stealthy killer. There seem to be a lot of these in lumberjack tales: creatures that sneak up to their victims or lie in wait for them, then wack them with a devastating attack. Fortunately, each uses a different method for ambushing their prey, so we still have a lot of variety.


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## freyar (Nov 15, 2008)

Pretty cool.  Is the 3/4 concealment a 3.0 artifact or intentionally nonstandard?


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## Cleon (Nov 15, 2008)

freyar said:


> Pretty cool.  Is the 3/4 concealment a 3.0 artifact or intentionally nonstandard?




I honestly can't remember off the top of my head, but it's probably a 3.0 holdover. It'd easy enough to switch it to the 3.5 standard concealment's 20% miss chance, but I would rather not. I'm thinking that a Silver Cat could get the 20% concealment in ordinary dense foliage, so its magical concealment effect should give it a better miss chance.


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## freyar (Nov 16, 2008)

With that logic, I'd probably go total concealment (I think displacer beast has that, right?).  But it's cool anyway.


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## demiurge1138 (Nov 16, 2008)

freyar said:


> With that logic, I'd probably go total concealment (I think displacer beast has that, right?).  But it's cool anyway.




Yep. And this creature does sort of have a displacer beast vibe to it, what with the six legs and all.


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## Cleon (Nov 16, 2008)

demiurge1138 said:


> Yep. And this creature does sort of have a displacer beast vibe to it, what with the six legs and all.




In the original folk-tales the Silver Cat has the regulation four legs, I added another pair just to echo the D&D displacer beast. I'm thinking about taking the extra legs out again, since it doesn't really add anything and a six-legged version may be a bit too far from the lumberjack yarn's description.

I've added a few 'personal touches' to many of these lumberjack critters, riffing off the basic description. I believe the original story-tellers would give wildly varying and sometimes contradictory accounts of the same monster, so it seems fair if I add some of my own tall tales to these beasts.

I wouldn't go for total concealment though, since you can still see bits and pieces of a Silver Cat through the leaves - mostly its fierce red eyes.


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## Cleon (Nov 16, 2008)

Oh dang it, I'll just take the six-legs bit out. Decided I didn't like the addition for the "folklore" version of the critter. I can leave them six-legged in my own campaign and say that version of the silver cat is a relative to the displacer beast.


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## Cleon (Nov 19, 2008)

Time for another critter methinks, so I duly present the Snoligoster for your edification and amusement.


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## Cleon (Nov 19, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Snoligoster*

*Snoligoster
*Huge Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 7d10+28 (66 hp)
*Initiative:* +2
*Speed:* 10 ft. (2 squares), swim 30 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 17 (-2 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 15
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +7/+23
*Attack:* Tail slap +13 melee (2d6+12)
*Full* *Attack:* Tail slap +13 melee (2d6+12) or bite/slam +13 melee (2d6+12)
*Space/Reach:* 15 ft./10 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Impale, improved grab, ram
*Special* *Qualities:* Hold breath, low-light vision, scent, propeller 
*Saves:* Fort +9, Ref +6, Will +3
*Abilities:* Str 27, Dex 15, Con 19, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2
*Skills:* Hide +0*, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +16
*Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Run
*Environment:* Warm marshes
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 5
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 8-14 HD (Huge)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_An enormous animal resembling a limbless crocodile covered in long, glossy fur with a single long spike or fin protruding from its back. On the tip of its tail are three bony plates resembling a propeller.
_
Snoligosters are strange and dangerous predators which lurk in tropical swamps, favouring areas with cypress groves. They are credited with a voracious lust for human flesh, in particular those people native to their lands, since the dim-witted creatures will often fail to recognize strangers who differ from the locals in clothing or complexion as being the same species as their favourite prey.

An average sized snoligoster spans twenty five feet from nose to propeller and weighs 4000 pounds.

A snoligoster can revolve the three bony plates on the end of its tail at a terrific rate just like a ship's propeller, driving the animal as fast as a torpedo boat through both water and liquid mud. When a snoligoster catches prey, such as the local humans upon which it delights to feed, it tosses the unfortunate victim upwards with its tail and impales them upon its dorsal spine. They can carry several victims upon their spike fin, like onions upon a skewer, until sufficient for a meal have been collected. The snoligoster then uses revolutions of its tail flukes to excavate a hole in a bank of earth, into which it tosses its victims after scraping them off its spike with its tail. The snoligoster then uses rapid rotations of its propeller to batter the bodies of its prey until the hole contains an unrecognizable gory stew, which it eagerly guzzles down.

*Combat*
Snoligosters prefer to ambush opponents in the water, but occasionally ram small boats at high speed in a bid to sink or overturn them. They try to seize victims with their tail-slap's improved grab, then impale them on their spike fin. Being both vicious and dim-witted they rarely retreat until reduced to a third of their hit points (22 hp) or less, whereupon they use their propellers to zoom away underwater.

*Hold Breath (Ex)
*A snoligoster can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 times its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

*Impale (Ex)*
On a successful grapple check, a snoligoster can deal 4d6+16 points of damage to a smaller opponent held in its tail by slamming them against the spike on its back. A snoligoster can carry multiple victims impaled upon its dorsal spine - it has space for one Large creature, two Medium, four Small or eight Tiny creatures.

*Improved Grab (Ex)*
If a snoligoster hits with its tail-slap it can attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, the snoligoster establishes a hold on the opponent with the bony flukes of its tail tip and attempt to impale its victim upon the spike on its back (see above).

*Propeller (Ex)*
A snoligoster can increase its swim speed to up to 90 ft. by spinning the organic propeller at the end of its tail. They can not use their tail-slap or impale attacks in a round they employ propeller-propulsion.

*Ram (Ex)*
When a snoligoster charges at its maximum propeller-speed, it can deliver a slam attack dealing 4d6+16 points of damage.

*Skills*
A snoligoster 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. Snoligosters keen senses give them a +4 racial bonus to Listen and Spot checks.
*A snoligoster gains a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in swampy terrain. Furthermore, a snoligoster can lie in the water with only its eyes, nostrils and dorsal spine showing, gaining a +6 cover bonus on Hide checks.

*Lore Checks**
DC 15* - A snoligoster is an enormous swamp monster shaped like a crocodile which lacks legs or fins, except for a long spike on its back and three flukes upon its tail tip. Ravenous man-eaters, they grasp victims with their tail to be impaled upon their dorsal spine.
*DC 20* - Snoligosters have the weird ability to rotate their tail-flukes about the axle of their backbone, by which means they can propel themselves through mud and water at remarkable speeds. They can only flop around slowly upon land.
*DC 25* - These monsters preferred lair is an earth bank in a cypress swamp, marked by holes in which they batter their prey to pulp with their churning tails before eating it. Most snoligosters only recognize the local humans as tasty meals, so if you appear different from the natives you may escape an attack.

[_note Lumberwood Critters generally lack darkvision, unlike standard Magical Beasts_]


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## Cleon (Nov 23, 2008)

What, no new posts since I added the Snoligoster?

*Looks around at eerily quite thread*

Things seem awfully quite around here, maybe some of the monsters have escaped and are preying upon people who visit Homebrew.

Anyhows, here's the next beastie - the Agropelter. Hopefully, it'll get a few replies.


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## Cleon (Nov 23, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Agropelter*

*Agropelter*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 5d10+5 (32 hp)
*Initiative:* +4
*Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 50 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 20 (+4 Dex, +4 dodge [_only in trees_], +2 natural), touch 18, flat-footed 12
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +5/+9
*Attack:* club +9 melee (1d6+4/19-20) or claw +9 melee (1d4+4) or club +9 ranged (1d6+6/19-20) _[club +10 ranged (1d6+7/19-20) up to 30' range, due to Point Blank Shot]_
*Full* *Attack:* club +9 melee (1d6+4) or claw +9 melee (1d4+4) or club +9 ranged (1d6+6/19-20) _[club +10 ranged (1d6+7/19-20) up to 30' range, due to Point Blank Shot]
_*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Catapult arms, sneak attack +3d6
*Special* *Qualities:* Arboreal dodge, arboreal evasion, arboreal sniping, low-light vision, pass through forest, scent, whip-thin build, wood shaping
*Saves:* Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +6
*Abilities:* Str 19, Dex 19, Con 12, Int 5, Wis 15, Cha 3
*Skills:* Balance +12, Climb +12*(+16 in trees), Escape Artist +12, Jump +12, Hide +16*(+20 in trees), Listen +10, Move Silently +12, Spot +10
*Feats:* Alertness, Improved Critical (Club)B, Point Blank Shot
*Environment:* Temperate forests
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 5
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Usually neutral evil
*Advancement:* 6-9 HD (Medium)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_The creature ducks in and out of cover too fast to show more than an impression of a slender, wiry body, a malevolent apelike face, and overlong arms like muscular whiplashes._

Agropelters are apelike creatures with abnormally flexible arms which dwells in dense forests. An agropelter of ordinary size is some five feet in height and weighs around 120 pounds.

Unlike other dangerous critters of the lumber woods, which as a rule are merely hungry, agropelters are vindictive and actively malicious, going out of their way to assault humans and sabotage their camps and equipment. The whiplash arms of agropelters grants them a gift for slinging logs or rocks through the air with tremendous force and accuracy, and they can easily knock a hoot owl from the sky or crush a lumberjack's skull with such projectiles. An agropelter keeps stashes of clubs in tree-hollows throughout its territory, so it is seldom long without ammunition.

When not making timberfolk's existence a misery, agropelters lead solitary lives patrolling their territories and resting in hollow trees. These creatures are omnivorous, eating a simian-style diet of fruit, nuts, leaves and small animals. They love the taste of birds and eggs, their favourite meals being owls and woodpeckers. Although agropelters have a propensity for killing humans, they do not make a habit of eating them, which adds credence to the theory that these creatures hatred towards humanity is at least partly due to extreme territoriality.

These creatures possess modest but effective supernatural powers. They can pass through the thickest forests without hindrance or leaving a trail, and can magically shape wood with their bare hands and mouths. An agropelter can break off a dead branch and form it into a serviceable club in a few seconds, or enlarge a hole in a trunk into a lair with a few minutes work. They seldom use this gift in battle, since they'd need to touch an enemy's wooden weapons to warp them, thereby exposing themselves to an attach of opportunity. However, they often use it for acts of malice, such as creating deadfall traps or sabotaging equipment - i.e. breaking wheels, ruining wagon-axles or merely fixing camp-chairs to collapse when sat upon.

*Combat*
Agropelters will fight from the trees whenever possible. They prefer to stealthily approach to within thirty feet of a foe and hurl a log at them as a surprise sneak attack, then dash away using their incredible brachiating speed. For a prolonged fight they rely on hit-and-fade tactics, repeatedly sniping from the tree-tops and trying to reposition themselves without their opponents reckoning where they're moved too.

Note that an Advanced agropelter increases its sneak attack damage by +1d6 for every two Hit Dice of Advancement it gains.*

Arboreal Dodge (Ex)*
While climbing a tree, an agropelter retains its Dexterity bonus to AC, even when caught flat-footed or struck by an _invisible_ attacker, just as if it possessed a rogue's _uncanny dodge_ class feature. In addition, an agropelter gains a +4 dodge bonus to its armour class when in a tree.

*Arboreal Evasion (Ex)*
An agropelter in a tree can avoid even magical and unusual attacks by ducking behind a tree limb or trunk. Except for working only while climbing a tree, this functions exactly like a rogue's _evasion_ class feature. i.e. so long as an agropelter is not helpless, if it makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally would deal half damage on a successful save, it takes no damage instead.

*Arboreal Sniping (Ex)*
While in a tree, an agropelter can use the sniping option of the Hide skill with a -10 penalty on its skill check to conceal itself after the shot, instead of the standard -20 penalty. In addition, it can move both before and after making a ranged attack as if it possesses the Shot On The Run feat, so long as the agropelter only moves through trees.

*Catapult Arms (Ex)*
An agropelter's whiplash arms makes it a living catapult. When hurling throwing weapons, an agropelter increases their range increment by 20 ft. and applies one and a half times its Strength bonus as its damage adjustment from Strength.

*Pass Through Forest (Su)*
An agropelter can travel through forest terrain without leaving a trail or suffering any hindrance or damage from non-magical undergrowth, no matter how thick. Apart from being a supernatural power that only functions in woodland, this works like the Druid's class features Woodland Stride and Trackless Step.

*Whip-Thin Build (Ex)*
An agropelter is considered one size category smaller for purposes of concealing itself and squeezing into confined spaces (this is in addition to the agropelter racial bonus on Hide checks, and is included in the Hide skill bonus given in its statistics, above.)

*Wood Shaping (Su)*
An agropelters possesses a supernatural power equivalent to the spell _wood shape _usableat will (caster level equal to agropelter's Hit Dice). Amongst other things, this allows an agropelter to craft a throwing club from a suitably sized piece of wood as a standard action.

*Skills*
Agropelters have a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, Escape Artist and Jump checks, and a +4 racial bonus to Hide, Listen, Move Silently and Spot checks. An agropelter can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. While in a tree, an agropelter's racial bonuses on Climb and Hide checks increase to +12.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 15* - Agropelters are stealthy menaces of the forest, who smash in the heads of lumberjacks with hurled logs without ever revealing themselves.
*DC 20* - Agropelters are highly territorial and hate human intrusion. They will sabotage unattended gear and ambush stragglers.
*DC 25* - An agropelter loves the taste of owl and woodpecker, so such birds could be used as bait for a agropelter trap. In appearance, an agropelter resembles a wiry chimpanzee with flexible whiplike arms and a fiendish face.


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## freyar (Nov 23, 2008)

Oh, these are still interesting, but the big bad work monster has been chasing me around...


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## demiurge1138 (Nov 24, 2008)

These strike me as... dangerous. The lack of any penalty whilst sniping makes them very difficult to fight indeed without a well-placed glitterdust or just nuking the whole tree with fireballs. I recommend either boosting the CR or dampening the arboreal sniping to only a -10 or -5 penalty.


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## Andrew D. Gable (Nov 24, 2008)

Actually, it's _SLIVER_ not _SILVER_.  I made the same mistake for a while... I think some book misprinted it.


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## Cleon (Nov 25, 2008)

demiurge1138 said:


> These strike me as... dangerous. The lack of any penalty whilst sniping makes them very difficult to fight indeed without a well-placed glitterdust or just nuking the whole tree with fireballs. I recommend either boosting the CR or dampening the arboreal sniping to only a -10 or -5 penalty.




Yes, I did consider cutting the sniping penalty instead of abolishing it altogether. Agropelters have a pretty meaty Hide bonus, so would still have a fair chance of sniping successfully. 

Hmm... with a -10 penalty they're still +10 to Hide in trees, and will probably be 30 feet away when sniping so they're opponents would get an additional +3 to their Spot checks' DC, for a final DC of around 23-24. That seems about right. They prefer to snipe from behind anyway.

I'd rather go that way than adjust the Challenge Rating. I'm aiming for most of these beasties to be low to mid-level.


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## Cleon (Nov 25, 2008)

Andrew D. Gable said:


> Actually, it's _SLIVER_ not _SILVER_.  I made the same mistake for a while... I think some book misprinted it.




Yes, I did a lot of agonizing over whether to use Silvercat or Slivercat. I started out using sliver cat but I liked the sound of silver cat better, so I kept on switching from one to the other. Silver Cat's a fairly common varient spelling so I think I can get away with it. It's not like there's an official taxonomy of these folklore beasts.

The most recent critter has a similar problem, since it can be spelled Argopelter as as well as Agropelter and other varients.


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## Cleon (Nov 25, 2008)

freyar said:


> Oh, these are still interesting, but the big bad work monster has been chasing me around...




Hmm, I wonder what CR a Big Bad Work Monster would be? Obviously pretty high, since you don't want one catching you.


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## Cleon (Nov 25, 2008)

By the way, a few days back I came across D Shaffer's *Fearsome Critters- Monsters from American Folklore *thread here on Enworld.

There's some good stuff there.


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## Cleon (Nov 29, 2008)

Here's the next beastie, the Slide-Rock Bolter, it's a bit late since I've had a lot of work to do over the past week or so.

I got a bit carried away with the ecology of this one, adding a lot of ideas about its anatomy & behaviour, which was quite fun to come up with. I'm not entirely happy with some of the stats - the write-up for Slide is rather clumsy, but it's the best I came up with. It's practically a new movement mode based on Fly (average), so I felt it necessary to go into some detail.

Any thoughts, people?


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## Cleon (Nov 29, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Slide-Rock Bolter*

*Slide-Rock Bolter*
Gargantuan Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 12d10+84 (150 hp)
*Initiative:* +1
*Speed:* 20 ft. (6 squares), Climb 20 ft., Swim 30 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 22 (-4 size, +1 Dex, +15 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 21
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +12/+36
*Attack:* Bite +20 melee (4d6+12)
*Full* *Attack:* Bite +20 melee (4d6+12) and tail slap +15 melee (2d8+6)
*Space/Reach:* 20 ft./ 15 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Gobbling avalanche, improved grab, trample 3d6+18, swallow whole
*Special* *Qualities:* Low-light vision, imitate rock, scent, slide, tremorsense 120 ft.
*Saves:* Fort +15, Ref +9, Will +10
*Abilities:* Str 35, Dex 13, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 8
*Skills:* Climb +20, Disguise +2* [_+10 as stone shelf_], Hide -11* [_+1 in rocky terrain_], Listen +12, Move Silently +1, Spot +12, Swim +20
*Feats:* Ability Focus (gobbling avalanche), Cleave, EnduranceB, Great Cleave, Improved Overrun, Power Attack
*Environment:* Temperate mountains
*Organization:* Solitary or pod (2-5)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 9
*Treasure:* 10% coins, 50% goods (gems and precious metals only) and 25% items (non-organic items only) plus special (value of carcass, see below)
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 13-18 HD (Gargantuan); 19-36 HD (Colossal)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_The beast before you strongly resembles a sperm whale, or cachalot, in both size and shape. Which is a mite unusual, considering you're up in the mountains. Its skin is stony hued and spotted with lichen, matching the surrounding rock. The thing's head is enormous even for a beast of such dimensions, with a titanic square jaw and thick blubbery lips like a scorpion-fish's, its eyes appear tiny, despite being the size of grapefruit, due to immensity of the skull they are set into. At the opposite end of the body its tail is horizontal like a whale's, except each fluke ends in enormous down-curved hooks._

Slide-rock bolters are mountain predators of titanic magnitude and cetacean ancestry. They may be known by other names, such as mountain gullet, _le cachalot de avalanche_ (the avalanche cachalot) or whale o' the peaks. An average specimen of this beast is some fifty feet in length and weighs approximately 90,000 pounds, with a twenty foot square head.

*Combat*
These monsters prefer to hang from the edge of a valley by their tails, then use Slide to descend upon prey who passes beneath it and scoop up as many victims as it can manage with Gobbling Avalanche. The slide-rock bolter then continues its slide up another slope, either to turn around for another pass or to stop at a convenient ridge and tail-hang again in wait for its next victims. Alternatively, they use their Mimic Rock ability to pretend to be a bluff of rock and wait for prey to wander nearby then flop into their midst to trample, bite, swallow whole, and tail-slap.

In either case, slide-rock bolters are doughty fighters who only consider retreat after taking more than half their hit points in damage, whereupon they will slide off downhill, vomiting out any swallowed victims if such continue to hurt them after a few rounds in their gizzards.

*Gobbling Avalanche (Ex)*
As a full-round action, a slide-rock bolter can move up to twice its slide speed and literally run over any opponents at least one size category smaller than itself. The bolter merely has to move over the opponents in its path; provided the bolter's movement covers at least one square occupied by a target it is subject to the gobbling avalanche attack. All targets so affected take 6d6+18 points bludgeoning damage. In addition, if the slide-rock bolter moves over all the squares a target creature occupies, the target must make a DC 19 Reflex save or be swallowed whole (see Swallow Whole, below).

Opponents struck by a gobbling avalanche can attempt attacks of opportunity, but these take a -4 penalty. If they do not make attacks of opportunity, these opponents can attempt DC 30 Reflex saves to take half damage.

If the bolter strikes a creature or object of its own size or larger it must halt its movement, although it inflicts normal gobbling avalanche damage to the obstacle. A slide-rock bolter that ends its gobbling avalanche in an illegal space returns to the last legal position it occupied, or the closest legal position, if there’s a legal position that’s closer. 

The save DC is Strength-based for the save to take half damage, Dexterity-based for the save to avoid being swallowed whole.

*Improved Grab (Ex)
*To use this ability, a slide-rock bolter 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 attempt to swallow the foe as its next action. (See Swallow Whole, below)

*Mimic Stone (Ex)*
A stationary slide-rock bolter can camouflage itself as a shelf of rock. This masquerade is purely visual, the bolter still feels like smooth leather to the touch and retains its natural scent. Anyone who examines the bolter can notice the ruse through a successful Spot check opposed by the slide-rock bolter’s Disguise check, although by this time they may well be close enough to be on the receiving end of the monster's gulping avalanche.

*Slide (Su)*
A slide-rock bolter can produce a magical lubricant that allows it to slip down and up slopes with marvellous speed. A bolter's cheek-glands stock sufficient enchanted skid-grease to Slide for a number of rounds equal to twice the individual's hit dice, it need not expend the grease in one continuous sequence, and can completely replenish an empty set of cheek-glands with ten minutes of rest.

The slide-rock bolter can only launch a Slide from a slope of greater than 45 degrees of at least thirty feet in height. A bolter must prepare itself before starting a slide, which requires a move action. Once properly prepared, the slide-rock bolter may wait as long as it likes before starting the Slide, but if it moves more than a five-foot step, or exits a suitable slope, it loses said preparation and need to spend another move action to re-establish it.

While sliding the bolter receives a 30 ft. enhancement bonus to its land and climb speed, increasing its speed to 50 ft. A slide-rock bolter can make a run action to move at five times its slide speed, and can even run when climbing, but can only run downhill while sliding. A sliding bolter cannot move backwards or turn more 45 degrees in any five-foot space, nor turn more than a total of 90 degrees during each round of sliding. [_similar to a flying creature with average manoeuvrability_]

The Slide lasts as long as the bolter makes at least a double-move every round and moves at least twenty feet vertically (up, down or in combination), or it runs out of skid-grease. The Slide stops if it fails to meet any of these conditions, or the bolter runs face-up a slope of a height equal to the altitude from which it initiated the Slide. A slide-rock bolter can avoid the previous restriction by curving sideways to avoid running headfirst into the cut-off height, then turning tail-up and sliding back downhill without interrupting its Slide.

Once the slide has ended, for whatever reason, the slide-rock bolter needs to reorient and prepare itself again before launching another Slide, requiring the expenditure of a move action by the bolter when it is positioned upon a suitable slope.

*Swallow Whole (Ex)
*A slide-rock bolter can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of a smaller size category than itself by making a successful grapple check. Due to the enormous greasy gape of a slide-rock bolter's maw it can attempt to swallow an opponent two size categories smaller than itself as a swift action, and foes three or more size categories smaller than itself as free actions, although it can make no more than one swallowing attempt on any given individual per round.

Once swallowed, the opponent takes 2d8+12 points of crushing damage plus 8 points of acid damage per round from the bolter’s gizzard. The acid damage in a slide-rock bolter's gizzard is from a corrosive bile which only dissolves organic materials like flesh, stone and metal are unaffected. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 17). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.

A Gargantuan slide-rock bolter’s gizzard can accommodate 1 Huge, 4 Large, 16 Medium, 64 Small or 256 Tiny or smaller opponents.

*Trample (Ex)*
Reflex save DC 28. The save DC is Strength-based.

*Skills*
Slide-rock bolters have keen senses giving them a +4 racial bonus to Spot and Listen checks. A slide-rock bolter has a +8 racial bonus on Climb or Swim checks, it can always choose to take 10 on a Climb or Swim check, even when distracted or endangered.

*Among rocky terrain a slide-rock bolter gains a +12 racial bonus to Hide checks. A slide-rock bolter gains a +8 racial bonus on Disguise checks to masquerade as a stone ridge (see Mimic Stone, above).

*Lore Checks*
*DC 19* - A slide-rock bolter is an enormous man-eating beast only found in steep mountains. They look like whales with stony skin and grapple-hooks for tail. These beasts will slide down into a valley, scoop a party of prospectors into its mouth without slowing, then slide up the opposite slope to another mountain-top perch.
*DC 24* - Sometimes, these monsters don't wait on peaks to toboggan down on victims like an avalanche, but just lie on mountain trails with their eyes shut and pretend to be a huge slab of rock until some careless tourist wanders up to its mouth. If you search around a bolter's favourite perch you may find some indigestible valuables amongst the bones of its victims.
*DC 29* - Slide rock bolter's don't always live alone, and seem to be able to talk to each other without regular folk hearing any noise. A dead slide-rock bolter's carcass is worth a lot of money, it's teeth and the amazingly slippery grease in its jaw-glands are worth their weight in gold.

*Ecology*
Only the steepest mountain country is inhabited by these beasts, where the slopes reach 45° or more, a grade of one pace up for every pace sideways. A slide-rock bolter's belly is serried with sled-like runners and limpet-like feet, which allow the animal to both scale perpendicular cliffs and slip across ground as easily as a sleigh. Bolters often loiter about mountain passes that herds of caribou, wild horses and the like use to reach greener pastures, such grazing animals forming the bulk of their diet.

Slide-rock bolters have transformed the sonar of their cetacean forefathers into a finely tuned ability to feel ground vibrations through their massive lower jawbones, by which means they can locate the footsteps of their prey. In addition, these animals possess excellent hearing, and vision that almost rivals an eagle's in its keenness.

Bolters are sociable animals, although they prefer to hunt as individuals rather than packs. They generally gather in family groups or small bands of the same sex. The biggest specimens, mostly colossal bulls, tend to be loners or the head of a family pod (mama, papa and full or part-grown young 'uns). Slide-rock bolters have a pretty complicated social life for animals, which they maintain by 'talking' to each other by sending vibrations through the rock, by which means they can converse with their kith and kin over great distances. Bolters instinctively shun bloody disputes with their own kind, settling disputes over territory or mating through head-to-head pushing contests instead, the winner being the bolter who overruns the other.

These frightful carnivores prefer a most peculiar hunting strategy. They use their tail-hooks to anchor themselves head-down upon some precipitous slope, such as a mountain ridge or the edge of a deep gulch. From this vantage point they wait for some prey to pass below them, mayhap hanging motionless for days at a time before hapless victims wander by. Once prey is sighted, the slide-rock bolter waits until the right moment, slavers a marvellous skid-grease from its mouth and then hoicks up its flukes' to loose their hold upon the mountainside. Thus released, the bolter toboggans down the slope like a living avalanche, drooling a thin skid-grease from corners of its mouth, which greatly augments its velocity, gulping down any unfortunate victims in its path. A big bolter can swallow an entire party of prospectors in one scoop, mules and all, the poor victims' passage down its gullet being smoothed by the same grease that facilitates the beast's slide down the mountainside. After making a swallowing-run, a slide-rock bolter often allows its own impetus to carry it up the next slope, where it slaps down its tail to wait for another meal.

A slide-rock bolter's skid-grease is a magical fluid enchanted by organs in the bolter's cheeks. It grant these gigantic beasts the power to easily skim across even rough ground. Said glands may hold no more than one long slide's supply of grease, but can replenish their stock from vast reserves of slide-oil within the bolter's skull. This slide-oil is not sufficiently empowered to support a bolter's sliding, but must be processed by the cheek-organs first. A healthy bolter's head stores enough slide-oil to provide hours of sliding once it is empowered by the cheek-glands, typically two pints per hit point the slide-rock bolter possesses, with each pint of oil becoming a pint of grease, which is enough for a round of sliding. Skid-grease keeps its supernatural slickness for only a few moments after a slide-rock bolter discharges it, afterwards becoming a sticky residue.

While tobogganing across valleys is a bolter's favourite means of catching prey, they do use other stratagems, such as lying in streams during a salmon run, gulping down the fish as they swim upstream, plus any bears foolish enough to interpose. A commoner trick is masquerading as a shelf of rock, as even keen-eyed travelers can be fooled into strolling up to a slide-rock bolter who's lying motionless with its eyes tight-shut. They can do an uncanny imitation of geology.

Although not as swift in water as the whales they resemble, slide-rock bolters are skilled swimmers and may be found frolicking in mountain lakes, during which times they may show an uncharacteristically pleasant disposition. If so, this is not due to any change in conscience on the bolter's part, but because they frequently visit lakes after gorging themselves on prey, finding a dip in the water a pleasant aid to their digestion, thus their occasional lack of hostility is down to a lack of hunger. That's not to say they won't hunt aquatically, many a moose has disappeared into a bolter's huge maw while swimming across a tarn.

*Treasure
*After digesting a meal, a slide-rock bolter spits out any indigestible remnants that remain. A bolter habitually visits the same spot to do this business, and the resulting spoil-heap may contain a fair stock of indissoluble valuables left over from its victims, assuming you're strong-stomached enough to sift through the bones. Mostly these are things like coins, prospectors' gold nuggets, gems from high-altitude mines and assorted usable equipment, which may include the occasional magical item.

The carcass of a slide-rock bolter has considerable value. The easily portable portions are equivalent to a treasure of a challenge rating equal to the bolter (4500 gold pieces for an average specimen), half this value is slide-oil, worth 10 gold pieces per pound weight (so 2250 gp and 225 lbs on average specimen), the other half is ivory teeth and skid-grease worth five times as much by weight (50 gold pieces per pound, so an average specimen's grease & teeth are worth 2250 gp and weigh 45 lbs).

There is still more value in the rest of the carcass - the blubber is edible and can be rendered down into oil, most of the flesh is useless, but some portions are edible, such as the tongue, in the form of plus hide and a bolter's hide and bones are also valuable. However, it requires a large expedition with specialized equipment to butcher a slide-rock bolter, which still leaves the problem of transporting tons of oil and flesh down from the mountains - the value of the rest of the carcass is equal to the easily portable pieces (4500 gp on average), but is worth but one silver piece per pound (so 45,000 pounds in total, or 22½ short tons).

 [_Lumberwood Critters generally lack darkvision, unlike standard Magical Beasts_]


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## freyar (Nov 29, 2008)

I like the fluff!  Though I wonder if these might be a little tougher than CR 9 given the slide attack.  Hmmm.

I'm not sure how I'd try to simplify Slide.  Maybe some sort of modified charge?


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## demiurge1138 (Nov 29, 2008)

Slide is complicated, but I think it'd work a lot smoother in play. I might be willing to bump them up to CR 10, but I like these guys! I wasn't familiar with the legend, and they're very cool.


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## Cleon (Dec 1, 2008)

demiurge1138 said:


> Slide is complicated, but I think it'd work a lot smoother in play. I might be willing to bump them up to CR 10, but I like these guys! I wasn't familiar with the legend, and they're very cool.




Yup, Slide is complicated. As I mentioned before, I'm basically writing up an entire movement form (compare the amount of text for Fly, which it was based on). The text about how much slide-grease it's got is probably something I'd ignore in play, since it's got enough to travel several thousand feet and that sort of thing's fiddly to keep track off, so feel free to cut it out before use.

As for the Challenge Rating, I spent ages agonizing about it but decided that CR was about right based on a comparison with the Triceratops and the Purple Worm. Basically, the slide-rock bolter doesn't have very good Hide/Disguise/Move Silently bonuses, so most parties will Spot it coming and, if they have any sense, spread out before it hits them with a Gobbling Avalanche.

Not to mention that a lot of parties that level have access to magical flight, so would just soar out of its reach and murderate it from out of its reach, at no risk to themselves since it is both landbound and without a ranged attack. Of course, against some 9th level parties it would be devastating - such as fighter-centered parties with low Spot - but many monsters are deadly against the right (or, wrong) type of party, and all fighter parties are very rare.


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## Cleon (Dec 1, 2008)

freyar said:


> I like the fluff!  Though I wonder if these might be a little tougher than CR 9 given the slide attack.  Hmmm.
> 
> I'm not sure how I'd try to simplify Slide.  Maybe some sort of modified charge?




Thanks freyar, I liked the fluff too! To me, that's at least as important to making a memorable monster as cool powers.

Modified charge, eh? Hmm... something like it moves at double speed, or up to quintuple downhill, but can not move higher than its launch point or turn more than ninety degrees in a turn or 45 degrees in a square, and the Slide ends if it spends two consecutive rounds without moving to a higher or lower elevation?

No, I think most of the rules (starting slope, preparing for launch, stopping if it hits its original height again) are necessary to keep the flavour of the original critter. The only bit it doesn't really need is a slide-grease limit on distance travelled, and I think I'll leave that in for the time being.


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## Cleon (Dec 5, 2008)

Here's the next beastie, the Tripodero.

Now here's a curious thing, all my previous critters - the slide-rock bolter, agropelter, silver cat, snoligoster, gumberoo and whirling whimpus were converted from another monster.

I'm sure you're familiar with the process. Say, I'm statting up the *Snow Wasset*, I may take a Dire Badger, change it to Magical Beast, increase the burrow speed and lower the land speed, remove the claw attacks and boost the bite, add tremorsense, cold resistance and a Special Attack to represent its undersnow ambush and bob's your uncle, a new monster!

Would anyone like to hazard a guess as to what beasties I used as the base creatures for the previous critters? They were all originally monsters from the D&D 3.5 System Reference Document before being altered.

The prize on offer is, em, you get praised for your perspicacity and can say what Lumberjack Critter I'll do after I finish releasing the ones I've got finished or nearly-completed.


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## Cleon (Dec 5, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Tripodero*

*Tripodero*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 3d10+3 (19 hp)
*Initiative:* +3
*Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares)
*Armor* *Class:* 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +3/+4
*Attack:* Spit +6 ranged (1d4+1) or kick +4 melee (1d4+1) or bite +4 melee (1d6)
*Full* *Attack:* Spit +6 ranged (1d4+1) or kick +4 melee (1d4+1) and bite -1 melee (1d6)
[_Spit attack is +7 ranged (1d4+2) within 30' with Point Blank Shot, +5/+5 ranged (1d4+1) with Rapid Shot, +6/+6 (1d4+2) with both Point Blank Shot and Rapid Shot_]
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft.(10 ft. in tower stance) / 5 ft.(10 ft. reach with kick, unless in tower stance)
*Special* *Attacks:* Spit pellet
*Special* *Qualities:* Low-light vision, scent, telescoping legs, telescoping vision
*Saves:* Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 13, Dex 16, Con 13, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6
*Skills:* Hide +6*, Move Silently +9, Spot +7*
*Feats:* Point Blank Shot, Rapid Shot
*Environment:* Temperate plains
*Organization:* Solitary, pair, mated trio or family (3-9)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 2
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 4-6 HD (Medium) 
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_Rising up out of the undergrowth is an animal with a small but solid body supported by three walking limbs, giving it a resemble to a three-legged stool. Amazingly, its legs extend like the tripod of a painter's easel and the creature grows several feet taller! Its head is set above and before its left and right legs, with a third limb for a tail. The creature's face is dominated by a long tapering snout, set beneath a large pair of goggling eyes and tiny ears shaped like those of a hog's. The animal is covered in short, coarse fur of a grey-brown colour, marked with darker blotches and stripes, plus a boar-like ridge of bristles running down its back._

Tripoderos live in areas of dense undergrowth such as chaparral and overgrown prairie, hunting for the birds and other small animals that are its main source of food. They walk upon two legs, which end in bird-like feet, and a highly modified kangaroo-like tail, all three limbs have many joints which can slide within their neighbours like the segments of a spyglass, allowing a tripodero to swiftly vary its height between as short as a jackrabbit to as tall as a giraffe. Tripoderos have superb long-distance eyesight, their eyes can magnify like a good pair of binoculars.

A typical tripodero has a compact head and body about two feet long, not including the foot-long protrusion of its narrow snout, and is most comfortable standing between four to six feet in height. It can collapse down to as little as a foot tall, or elevate itself to sixteen feet in height with its legs at maximum extension. They weigh about 150 pounds.

The above is an example of the largest species of tripodero, _Collapsofemuris geocatapeltes_. There are lesser varieties about the height of a bar-chair or foot-stool (size Small or Tiny), but these are too small to pose much of a threat to anything larger than a prairie dog.

At maximum height, a tripodero can move at twice its normal speed by virtue of its enormous stride-length. However, they are very reluctant to do so, since they could suffer serious injuries falling from their fifteen foot legs if they should slip or, worse, step in a gopher hole and take a leg-snapping tumble. Furthermore, at full extension a tripodero's legs are easily entangled in the thick scrubland that is their favourite habitat.

The Tripodero hunts while roaming about chapparal or grasslands, periodically elongating its legs to tower above the shrubbery and scan around for prey, but pulling in its limbs when it needs to present a compact form for crowding through undergrowth. If the tripodero sights game within a range of ten rods or so (165 feet), it takes aim and blows a pebble or sun-dried quid of clay through its snout. They carry a supply of such ammunition in their left cheek and rarely miss. If the prey is too far off, or the tripodero has no clear line of sight, the animal contracts its legs to conceal itself within the bush, then stalks to a more advantageous position from which to shoot. After felling its prey, the tripodero contracts its legs and bores its way through the brush to its victim, which it devours using a small but sturdy set of jaws concealed below its snout, staying put until the last bone is cracked and eaten.

Adult tripoderos often form ménage à trois to perpetuate their kind, like the European dunnock, mated pairs being less successful breeders. The females always produce triplets, so a tripodero family may include one of two litters of three young, depending on whether the bigamist is polygynous or polyandous.

*Combat*
Tripoderos rarely attack opponents as large as themselves, unless they are defending young or desperate with hunger. They prefer to stalk around opponents and snipe from a distance, using the hunting stratagem described above, resorting to kicks and bites if the enemy closes. When threatened, a tripodero instinctively shrinks to its smallest size and tries to hide, fleeing if this tactic fails.

*Spit Pellet (Ex)*
A tripodero's blowgun snout can spit pellets as a ranged weapon with a 50 ft range increment, applying its full damage bonus from strength, giving this natural weapon the same statistics as a sling. Their left cheek can hold up to nine shots in reserve.

*Telescoping Legs (Ex)*
A tripodero's telescoping legs provide it with a number of benefits:

Firstly, a tripodero can change its height as a swift action, assuming any one of the following four stances, which cover its regular posture and three extraordinary altitudes:

*Tower stance* - -3 circumstance penalty to Hide checks, +30 ft speed.
*Normal stance* - no adjustment to Hide checks or speed.
*Short stance* - +3 circumstance bonus to Hide checks, -10 ft. speed.
*Belly stance* - +6 circumstance bonus to Hide checks, -20 ft. speed.

A tripodero in tower stance is considered one size category larger for purposes of what space it occupies and can squeeze through. A tripodero in short or belly stance is considered one size category smaller for the same criteria. If a tripodero in tower stance falls through accident or assault, it adds 1d6 to the falling damage it suffers, as if it fell an additional ten feet. Tripoderos in tower stance that take a Run action must succeed at a DC 10 Reflex or Balance check or fall prone, taking 2d6 falling damage. Difficult surfaces will increase this DC.

Secondly, tripoderos that _deliberately_ jump down a drop can shoot out their limbs to cushion the landing, thus subtracting 1d6 from their falling damage.

Thirdly, a tripodero's telescoping legs give it a 10 foot reach with its kick attack, unless it is in tower stance, whereupon its kick attack has the standard 5 foot reach, as its legs are already at full extension.

*Telescoping Vision (Ex)*
A tripodero can spend a move action to halve the range penalties applied to a Spot check.

*Skills*
+3 racial bonus on Hide, Move Silently and Spot checks. *In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +6. They gain reduced range penalties to Spot checks when using their Telescoping Vision.

*Lore Checks
DC 12* - Weird animals that walk about on all-threes, inhabiting terrain with thick, low-lying vegetation. These beasts have compact bodies and a head that is nearly all long, narrow snout. Tripoderos have a pair of forelegs, plus a tail-leg at their back end. They can telescope these limbs in-and-out to vary their height to anywhere from a jackrabbit's and a giraffe's, which allows them to easily creep through undergrowth in compact form, or elevate their bodies above the brush to scan their surroundings.
*DC 17* - Tripoderos hunt creatures smaller than themselves by shooting mud-pellets or pebbles through their snouts, attacking prey at distances of fifty yards or more. They use their telescoping legs to shrink into the undergrowth and stalk up to prey, then elevate their heads above the brush to shoot.
*DC 22* - A tripodero can shoot pellets from its blowpipe snout some ten times, using a supply of ammunition stashed in their left cheek. The bulbous eyes of a tripodero can magnify far-off objects just like a spyglass, making it easy for the creature to spot things at a distance.

[_note Lumberwood Critters generally lack darkvision, unlike standard Magical Beasts_]


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## Cleon (Dec 13, 2008)

What's this, no replies at all? Well hopefully, this next critter will provoke a bit of activity. I now have the pleasure of presenting the Beeskeeter.


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## Cleon (Dec 13, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Beeskeeter*

*Beeskeeter*
Small Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 1d10+2 (7 hp)
*Initiative:* +3
*Speed:* 10 ft. (2 squares), fly 60 ft. (good)
*Armor* *Class:* 14 (+1 size, +3 Dex), touch 14, flat-footed 11
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +1/-4 (_+4 attached, +8 transfixed if foe Tiny+; else -4 & +0_)
*Attack:* Nose-sting +5 melee (1d4-1 plus blood drain) or tail-sting +5 melee (1d4-1 plus poison)
*Full* *Attack:* Nose-sting +5 melee (1d4-1 plus blood drain) or tail-sting +5 melee (1d4-1 plus poison)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft. (10 ft. with extra-long sting)
*Special* *Attacks:* Attach, blood drain, poison, transfix
*Special* *Qualities:* Breakable stingers, darkvision 60 ft., exchange stinger, extra-long stinger, hip-purses of holding, low-light vision, scent, verminous varmint
*Saves:* Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1
*Abilities:* Str 9, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6
*Skills:* Listen +2, Spot +6, Survival +3* (+7 to track prey or orient itself)
*Feats:* Track, Weapon FinesseB
*Environment:* Temperate or warm forests and marshes
*Organization:* Solitary, buzz (2-4), swarm (5-10) or pool (11-20)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 1
*Treasure:* No coins; ½ goods (honey only); no items
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 2 HD (Small); 3-4 HD (Medium); 5-8 HD (Large); 9-16 HD (Huge); 17-32 HD (Gargantuan); 33-64 HD (Colossal)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_Buzzing towards you is a flying insect of unnatural size. It has the forequarters and piercing mouthparts of a giant mosquito and the black-and-yellow striped hindquarters of a bee, complete with sting._

A beeskeeter is a monstrous flying insect, a ghastly hybrid spawned from the interbreeding of giant bees and skeeters (see below for details of Skeeters). The above statistics are for a beeskeeter some 30" in length, not including its foot-long stingers fore and aft, weighing about twenty pounds. 

In some parts of the country, a beeskeeter this size is considered a mere baby, for these monsters can grow to epic proportions. There are legends of beeskeeters so immense they can not find animals big enough to prey upon, so they needs must feed upon Mother Earth herself, by drilling their nose-stinger deep into the bedrock to sup upon the black blood of the earth.

Beeskeeters inhabit country with plenty of flowering plants and warm-blooded prey, both of which they need for their sustenance, for these critters feed with both the blood-sucking nose of a skeeter and the mouth of a giant bee. Beeskeeters make honey, which they store within hollow trees and rock crevices. Indeed, they produce a quantity and quality of honey superior to giant bees of the same size. This honey is prized for its magical properties as well as it superb taste, so commands a good price among alchemists, spellcasters and top-ranking cooks, as well as rich folk with a sweet tooth. A few evil folk tough enough to resist their stingers even raise beeskeeters for their honey, with the added bonuses that the monsters pollinate their crops and attack intruders.

On each 'hip', beeskeeters have a purse resembling the pollen-sac on a honeybees' thigh. Beeskeeters' have the uncanny trick of unscrewing their nose- or tail-stinger, reaching into their hip-purse for another one, then screwing that stinger into the vacated socket. If a victim's too far off to jab with its normal stinger, they simply screw on an extra-long one. Even more amazing, an ordinary sized beeskeeter can scabbard an eight-foot long stinger in a hip-purse as small as a halfling's belt pouch, for these hip-purses are supernatural containers whose insides are much larger than their outsides. Each hip-purse has scabbards for three extra stingers, two regulation length and one extra-long, plus stowage space for an ample supply of vittals. Because the interior is an extradimensional space, anything stowed inside doesn't weigh the beeskeeter down.

While beeskeeters are blessedly rare most of the time, they can breed in great numbers when conditions are right for them, becoming a terrible affliction to both man and beast. A group of beeskeeters finds a sheltered hollow and fills it with water carried hence in their hip-purses. Into the resulting pool they lay dozens of eggs, which hatch into aquatic larvae the parent beeskeeters feed with blood and honey. Nurtured on this rich diet, the larvae grow with great rapidity, becoming pupae after three weeks or so. The adults lift each pupa out of the water and conceals it somewhere nearby. This not only relieves crowding in the teeming larva pool, but helps the beeskeeter species survive harsh seasons, for beeskeeter pupae can hibernate for years, reviving when they feel the warm, wet weather beeskeeters prefer.

*Combat*
A beeskeeter is not a subtle or unenthusiastic combatant. The instant they sight potential victims they make a bee-line for them, eagerly buzzing for blood. Normally, they start with their nose-sting attack in a bid to attach and blood drain, trying to transfix their opponent with their tail sting on subsequent rounds. A big beeskeeter faced with multiple foes may attach itself to one victim and fight its other opponents with its tail sting, beeskeeters of Huge size or larger are most prone to this tactic, since they can fly while carrying the weight of most humanoid foes and have the Combat Reflexes feat for making multiple attacks of opportunity.

Beeskeeters who have tasted blood are far less likely to flee a fight than ones who haven't. A beeskeeter that takes more that 25% or so of its hit points in damage without successfully using its blood drain ability usually flies away, discouraged, while one that is busy draining blood typically fights to the death.

*Attach (Ex)*
If a beeskeeter hits with a stinger attack it can fasten onto its opponent, effectively grappling its victim. It can then Blood Drain with a nose-stinger, Poison with a tail-stinger and try to Transfix its victim. An attached beeskeeter loses its Dexterity bonus to AC, unless its size category and Strength are both higher than the victim it's attached itself to. An attached beeskeeter can be struck with a weapon or grappled itself. To remove an attached beeskeeter through grappling, an opponent must achieve a pin against the creature.

Beeskeeters have a +8 racial bonus on grapple checks when attached to creatures larger than one size category smaller than themselves (already figured into the Base Attack/Grapple entry above), provided they're using regular-length stingers.

*Blood Drain (Ex)*
A beeskeeter drains blood, dealing 1d3 points of Constitution damage in any round when it begins its turn attached to a victim via its nose-stinger. Once it has dealt 7 points of Constitution damage, it detaches and flies off to digest the meal. If its victim dies before the beeskeeter’s appetite has been sated, the beeskeeter detaches and seeks a new target.

*Breakable Stingers (Ex)*
The stingers of a beeskeeter can be targeted for sunder attacks. They are relatively fragile, being equivalent to a light hafted weapon of Small size, thus having hardness 5 and 1 hp. Alternatively, an opponent grappling a beeskeeter can try to snap one of its stingers off by sheer strength, this requires a DC 12 Strength check. This DC is Strength based and does not vary with the beeskeeter's Hit Dice. Damage to a stinger also applies to the beeskeeter's total hit points.

*Exchange Stingers (Su)*
A beeskeeter can swap out either its nose- or tail-stinger for a spare stored in a hip-purse (See below), by spending a move action, it can swap both its nose- and tail-stingers at the same time with a standard action. A beeskeeter can scabbard six spare stingers within its hip-purses, four regular and two extra-long. Stingers are living organs that die if detached from a beeskeeter's nose, tail or scabbards for more than two rounds. The scabbards, and the hip-purses they're within, are also formed of living flesh and chitin. A beeskeeter's scabbards can grow a replacement for a dead or destroyed stinger in three days, or fully heal a broken or damaged stinger in one day.

*Extra-Long Stinger (Ex)*
A beeskeeter can exchange its regular stinger for one of extraordinary length. Such a stinger has all the properties of a Reach weapon, including the inability to strike creatures that are too close. A beeskeeter can Attach itself to a victim with an extra-long nose-stinger, but it does not gain the normal +8 racial bonus to grappling when using an extra-long stinger and cannot Transfix opponents.

*Hip-Purses of Holding (Su)*
A beeskeeter has two hip-purses, one on each thigh, each comprised of three scabbards for holding stings (two regular and one extra-long scabbard in each pouch), plus a sac for general stowage. These hip-purses function similarly to _bags of holding,_ being non-dimensional spaces whose contents do not count against the monster's encumbrance, the stowage-sac can hold any number, size and shape of objects up to its weight and volume limits. The sting-scabbards can only hold a beeskeeter's own stings, their non-dimensional interiors existing for no other objects, not even the stings of an otherwise identical beeskeeter.

Hip-purses are living organs that can not be removed from the beeskeeter's body without rupturing. If a hip-purse is ruptured, all the contents of its stowage sac will spill out into the material plane around the beeskeeter, but not any scabbarded stings. A hip-purse can not be sundered, as it is a normal part of the beeskeeter's body and not a carried of worn object, but it can be attacked from the inside. Each hip-purse has twice the hp of the beeskeeter's stingers, and an Armour Class of 10 plus half the beeskeeter's natural armour. A ruptured hip-purse regains its supernatural storage ability once it is fully healed, a process which takes a day of natural healing.

A beeskeeter's hip-purses can stow a weight up to the creature's light load, half in each purse. [_Conveniently, a light load is also the maximum load a beeskeeter can carry outside its hip-purses whilst flying._] For every ten pounds of weight capacity its stowage-sacs have one and a half cubic feet of volume capacity. The hip-purse statistics of standard beeskeeters of all sizes is listed below:

*Beeskeeter Hip-Purses Statistics*
*Tiny:* AC 10; hp 1; Capacity: 8 lbs & 1 cu. ft. (each pouch 4 lb ½ cu')
*Small:* AC 10; hp 2; Capacity: 22 lbs & 3 cu. ft. (each pouch 11 lb 1½ cu')
*Medium:* AC 10; hp 4; Capacity: 50 lbs & 7 cu. ft. (each pouch 25 lb 3½ cu')
*Large:* AC 11; hp 8; Capacity: 172 lbs & 25 cu. ft. (each pouch 86 lb 12½ cu')
*Huge:* AC 12; hp 16; Capacity: 612 lbs & 90 cu. ft. (each pouch 306 lb 45 cu')
*Gargantuan:* AC 14; hp 32; Capacity: 2768 lbs & 400 cu. ft. (each pouch 1384 lb 200 cu')
*Colossal:* AC 17; hp 64; Capacity: 19200 lbs & 2880 cu. ft. (each pouch 9600 lb 1440 cu')

*Poison (Ex)*
If a beeskeeter hits with its tail-sting or start its round attached or transfixed to a victim via its tail-stinger it may inject a dose of poison with the following properties: Injury, Fortitude DC 12, initial and secondary damage 1d3 Str. The save DC is Constitution-based.

*Transfix (Ex)*
On a successful grapple check, a beeskeeter that is attached to a victim by one stinger can attach itself with the other stinger, doing normal sting damage and injecting poison if this is the tail-stinger. Both stingers remain transfixed in the victim, and the beeskeeter can drain blood and pump in another dose of venom on any round it begins its turn transfixing a victim. To remove the beeskeeter, an opponent must grapple it and achieve a pin against the creature *and* succeed in a Strength contest against the beeskeeter. If the strength contest fails, the opponent only succeeds in removing one stinger (opponent's choice), and the monster remains attached to its victim by the other stinger, but not transfixed.

A beeskeeter gets a +4 circumstance bonus to grappling checks against a transfixed victim. (noted in the Base Attack/Grapple entry above).

Beeskeeters cannot use Transfix when wearing an extra-long sting on either their nose or tail.

*Verminous Varmint (Ex)*
Any power that works on Vermin, such as the spells _giant vermin_ and _repel vermin_, will fully affect a beeskeeter as if it was a creature of the Vermin type instead of being a Magical Beast.

*Skills*
Beeskeeters have a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks. *They also have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks to orient themselves and to track prey.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 11* - Beeskeeters, dey be 'orrible bugs with da' front-half of a blood-sucking moskeeter an' da tail-half of a bee. Dem varmints are a scourge to man an' beast, dey buzz through they air loik banshees to fasten demselves on with both nose- an' tail-stingers, shootin' in poison with one end while suckin' out der victim's blood wit' de other end, til thers naught left but a dried-out husk.
*DC 15* - If ye break a beeskeeter's stinger, it jus screws on a new one. They's got special long stingers dey can screw on for stingin' out o' reach places. Beeskeeters make mighty fine honey, so it's worth yer time trakkin' dem to ther nest.
*DC 21* - Beeskeeters keep der extra stingers in hip-pouches dat are bigger on the inside than on the outside. Tha worse thing about beeskeeters is the varmints won't stop growin'. I've heard tell of a beeskeeter as big as ten mammoths, with stingers big as a whitebark pine tree!

*Advanced and Pygmy Beeskeeters*
For your convenience, here are compact stat-blocks for beeskeeters of all available sizes. Note that their attributes do not increase with size following the standard Advancement scheme, in a similar fashion to such oversized vermin as Monstrous Spiders.

The following list shows the complete feat progression of an advanced beeskeeter. It is listed in the order in which the beeskeeter acquires them rather then alphabetically. Thus a 12 HD beeskeeter, which receives five feats from its HD, would be given the first five feats on the list, plus the bonus feat of Weapon Finesse, giving it the feats Weapon FinesseB, Track, Alertness, Weapon Focus (sting), Combat Reflexes and Iron Will in that order.

*Feats*: Weapon FinesseB, Track, Alertness, Weapon Focus (sting), Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Improved Critical (sting), Great Constitution, Epic Will, Great Constitution (×2), Epic Reflexes, Damage Reduction (DR 3/–), Improved Natural Attack (sting), Epic Fortitude, Great Strength, Great Constitution(×3), Damage Reduction(×2, DR 6/–), Great Dexterity, Great Constitution (×4), Damage Reduction(×3, DR 9/–), Great Constitution (×5), Damage Reduction (×4, DR 12/–)

*Tiny Beeskeeter*(Hit Dice: ½d10+2(4hp)(stingers 1hp break DC10); Init: +3; Speed: 10 ft., fly 60 ft(good); AC: 15(+2 size, +3 Dex) touch 15, flat-footed 12; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-10(_-2 attached, +2 transfixing if foe Diminutive+, else -10 & -6_)*; Attacks: Nose-sting +6 melee (1d3-3 plus 1d3 Con blood drain, sated by 5 Con) or tail-sting +6 melee (1d3-3 plus DC10 1d3/1d3 Str poison); Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.(5 ft. with extra-long sting); Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1; Abilities: Str 5, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6; Skills: Listen +2, Spot +6, Survival +3* (+7 to track prey or orient itself); Feats: Track, Weapon Finesse[FONT=&quot]B; CR: ½?)

*Small Beeskeeter*(Hit Dice: 1d10+2(7hp)(stingers 1hp break DC12); Init: +3; Speed: 10 ft., fly 60 ft(good); AC: 14(+1 size, +3 Dex) touch 14, flat-footed 11; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-4(_+4 attached, +8 transfixing if foe Tiny+, else -4 & +0_)*; Attacks: Nose-sting +5 melee (1d4-1 plus 1d3 Con blood drain, sated by 7 Con) or tail-sting +5 melee (1d4-1 plus DC12 1d3/1d3 Str poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.(10 ft. with extra-long sting); Saves: Fort +4, Ref +5, Will +1; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6; Skills: Listen +2, Spot +6, Survival +3* (+7 to track prey or orient itself); Feats: Track, Weapon Finesse[FONT=&quot]B[/FONT]; CR: 1?)

*Medium Beeskeeter*(Hit Dice: 3d10+9(25hp)(stingers 2hp break DC14); Init: +3; Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft(good); AC: 14(+3 Dex, +1 natural) touch 13, flat-footed 11; Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+4(_+12 attached, +16 transfixing if foe Small+, else +4 & +8_)*; Attacks: Nose-sting +6 melee (1d6+1 plus 1d4 Con blood drain, sated by 15 Con) or tail-sting +6 melee (1d6+1 plus DC14 1d4/1d4 Str poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.(10 ft. with extra-long sting); Saves: Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +2; Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6; Skills: Listen +4, Spot +8, Survival +5* (+9 to track prey or orient itself); Feats: Alertness, Track, Weapon Finesse[FONT=&quot]B[/FONT]; CR: 3?)

*Large Beeskeeter*(Hit Dice: 5d10+15(42hp)(stingers 4hp break DC16); Init: +3; Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft(good); AC: 14(-1 size, +3 Dex, +2 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 11; Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+12(_+20 attached, +24 transfixing if foe Medium+, else +12 & +16_)*; Attacks: Nose-sting +7 melee (1d8+3 plus 1d6 Con blood drain, sated by 25 Con) or tail-sting +7 melee (1d8+3 plus DC15 1d6/1d6 Str poison); Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.(10 ft. with extra-long sting); Saves: Fort +7, Ref +7, Will +2; Abilities: Str 17, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6; Skills: Listen +4, Spot +10, Survival +5* (+9 to track prey or orient itself); Feats: Alertness, Track, Weapon Finesse[FONT=&quot]B[/FONT]; CR: 5?)

*Huge Beeskeeter*(Hit Dice: 9d10+36(85hp)(stingers 8hp break DC18); Init: +3; Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft(good); AC: 16(-2 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural) touch 11, flat-footed 13; Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+22(_+22 attached, +26 transfixing, +30 & +34 if foe Large+_)*; Attacks: Nose-sting +13 melee (2d6+5 plus 1d8 Con blood drain, sated by 40 Con) or tail-sting +13 melee (2d6+5 plus DC18 1d8/1d8 Str poison); Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.(20 ft. with extra-long sting); Saves: Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +4; Abilities: Str 21, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6; Skills: Listen +6, Spot +12, Survival +5* (+9 to track prey or orient itself); Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Track, Weapon Finesse[FONT=&quot]B[/FONT], Weapon Focus (sting); CR: 7?)

*Gargantuan Beeskeeter*(Hit Dice: 17d10+ 68(161hp)(stingers 16hp break DC21); Init: +3; Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft(good); AC: 18(-4 size, +3 Dex, +9 natural) touch 9, flat-footed 15; Base Attack/Grapple: +17/+37(_+37 attached, +41 transfixing, +45 & +49 if foe Huge+_)*; Attacks: Nose-sting +22 melee (2d8+8 plus 1d10 Con blood drain, sated by 50 Con) or tail-sting +22 melee (2d8+8 plus DC22 1d10/1d10 Str poison); Space/Reach: 20 ft./15 ft.(30 ft. with extra-long sting); Saves: Fort +14, Ref +15, Will +8; Abilities: Str 27, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6; Skills: Listen +8, Spot +16, Survival +7* (+11 to track prey or orient itself); Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Track, Weapon Finesse[FONT=&quot]B[/FONT], Weapon Focus (sting); CR: 10?)

*Colossal Beeskeeter*(Hit Dice: 33d10+165(346hp)(stingers 32hp break DC 24); Init: +2; Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft(good); AC: 18(-8 size, +2 Dex, +14 natural) touch 4, flat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple: +33/+60(_+60 attached, +64 transfixing, +72 & +76 if foe Gargantuan+_)*; Attacks: Nose-sting +37 melee (2d10+11/19-20 plus 2d6 Con blood drain, sated by 60 Con) or tail-sting +37 melee (2d10+11/19-20 plus DC31 2d6/2d6 Str poison); Space/Reach: 40 ft./30 ft.(60 ft. with extra-long sting); Saves: Fort +23, Ref +26, Will +17; Abilities: Str 33, Dex 15, Con 21, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6; Skills: Listen +16, Spot +24, Survival +7*(+11 to track prey or orient itself); Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Damage Reduction (DR 3/–), Epic Reflexes, Epic Will, Great Constitution (×2), Improved Critical (sting), Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Track, Weapon Finesse[FONT=&quot]B[/FONT], Weapon Focus (sting); CR: 18?)

A beeskeeter which is advanced to its maximum HD has the following stat-block:

*Colossal Beeskeeter, Maximized*(Hit Dice: 64d10+448(800hp)(stingers 32hp break DC 25); Init: +3; Speed: 20 ft., fly 60 ft(good); AC: 19(-8 size, +3 Dex, +14 natural) touch 5, flat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple: +64/+92(_+92 attached, +96 transfixing, +100 & +104 if foe Gargantuan+_)*; Attacks: Nose-sting +69 melee (4d6+12/19-20 plus 2d6 Con blood drain, sated by 60 Con) or tail-sting +69 melee (4d6+12/19-20 plus DC49 2d6/2d6 Str poison); Space/Reach: 40 ft./30 ft.(60 ft. with extra-long sting); Saves: Fort +45, Ref +43, Will +28; Abilities: Str 34, Dex 16, Con 24, Int 3, Wis 13, Cha 6; Skills: Listen +31, Spot +40, Survival +7*(+11 to track prey or orient itself); Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Damage Reduction (×4, DR 12/–), Epic Fortitude, Epic Reflexes, Epic Will, Great Constitution (×5), Great Dexterity, Great Strength, Improved Critical (sting), Improved Natural Attack (sting), Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Perfect Health, Track, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (sting); CR: 27?)

*Feats*: Weapon FinesseB, Track1, Alertness2, Weapon Focus (sting)3, Combat Reflexes4, Iron Will5, Lightning Reflexes6, Improved Critical (sting)7, Great Constitution8, Epic Will9, Great Constitution (×2)10, Epic Reflexes11, Damage Reduction (DR 3/–)12, Improved Natural Attack (sting)13, Epic Fortitude14, Great Strength15, Great Constitution(×3)16, Damage Reduction(×2, DR 6/–)17, Great Dexterity18, Great Constitution (×4)19, Damage Reduction(×3, DR 9/–)20, Great Constitution (×5)21, Damage Reduction (×4, DR 12/–)22

*Skeeters*
A skeeter is an unnaturally large magical relative of a mosquito. Skeeters are similar to beeskeeters, except they tote but one hip-purse and lack a bee's striped abdomen and tail-stings, nor any of the abilities associated with them. Use the same stats as beeskeeters, adjusted as follows:

Remove the tail-sting attack.
Note: Do not increase the strength bonus for nose-sting damage by 50%, despite this being the skeeter's sole attack.[_This is just to make the statblock simpler, and it is in keeping with the stinger being equivalent to a light weapon_.]
Remove the Poison and Transfix special attacks
Double the Con limit to the Blood Drain special attack. (so a small Skeeter can drain 14 Con)
Change Hip-_Purses_ of Holding to Hip-_Purse_ of Holding, with half the total carrying capacity, since skeeters only have one purse. Do not change the total number of scabbards, a skeeter's single hip-purse holds as many stingers as both of a beeskeeter's hip-purses (four regular & two extra-long stings).
Skeeters have no treasure, they do not make honey.

Challenge Rating becomes:

Tiny Skeeter: CR ¼
Small Skeeter: CR ½
Medium Skeeter: CR 2
Large Skeeter: CR 4
Huge Skeeter: CR 5
Gargantuan Skeeter: CR 8
Colossal Skeeter: CR 16
Colossal Skeeter, Maximized (64 HD): CR 24[/FONT]


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## freyar (Dec 14, 2008)

Well, the main thing to say is keep them coming! 

These beeskeeters are hilarious.  I can just imagine them stopping to change out their stings.   But are they smart enough to know when to do that?  I'd give them Int 5 at least to know when to swap stings effectively, I think.


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## Cleon (Dec 14, 2008)

freyar said:


> Well, the main thing to say is keep them coming!
> 
> These beeskeeters are hilarious.  I can just imagine them stopping to change out their stings.   But are they smart enough to know when to do that?  I'd give them Int 5 at least to know when to swap stings effectively, I think.




Thanks freyar, they were fun to right up. I found them hilarious too, they reminded me a lot of anold-fashioned cartoon with dancing anthropomorphic bugs.

I mashed together a lot of folk-tales about both Skeeters and Beeskeeters to get the final result, so they ended up quite complicated. I'm a bit unsure about the Challenge Rating of the Advanced versions, since I've very little experience with high-level D&D campaigns. I ended up basically guessing a number that felt right.

As for the Intelligence, I played with the idea of giving them Int 3, but felt it was reasonable to think an animal-level creatures would just know when to swap stingers by instinct. Still there's a case for bumping their Intelligence up a bit, although Int 5 seems a bit high to me. I read one folk-tale were a pair of skeeters have a conversation, but maybe they were _awakened_ skeeters - what crazy druid would do that!

Oh what the heck, I'll bump it up to Int 3.


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## Cleon (Dec 16, 2008)

Here's the next in the queue, the Hidebehind. There were all kinds of ways I could go with this one, as I never found any descriptions of the monster which gave any detail about it's appearance or nature. It ended up with a kind of psychic killer bigfoot, which is quite neat.

A hidebehind would probably be a pain players who prefer a straight-up fight, since its evasiveness and psychic gifts could be very frustrating. It's also yet another in the Lumberjacks' long list of sneaky critters that want to eat folk.

Edit: Oh, you may have noticed this is the first of the critters that is not a Magical Beast. Native Outsider just seemed to fit the concept better, I thought about making them Fey, but they're just too weedy. Monstrous Humanoid would have worked too, but I'd have had to pile on the racial skill bonuses and I wanted something with a superior Will save.


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## Cleon (Dec 16, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Hidebehind*

*Hidebehind*
Medium Outsider (Native, Psionic)
*Hit* *Dice:* 7d8+7 (38hp)
*Initiative:* +4
*Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares)
*Armor* *Class:* 16 (+4 Dex, +2 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 12
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +7/+11
*Attack:* Claw +12 melee (1d6+4)
*Full* *Attack:* 2 claws +12 melee (1d6+4)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Hide-behind, improved grab, nightmare flight, throttle
*Special* *Qualities:* darkvision 60 ft., dimension stride, low-light vision, mindvision 120 ft., scent
*Saves:* Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +8
*Abilities:* Str 18, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 6, Wis 17, Cha 17
*Skills:* Climb +9, Hide +16, Listen +13, Move Silently +16, Spot +13, Swim +9, Survival +13
*Feats:* Track, Weapon Focus (Claw), Stealthy
*Environment:* Any forests
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 7
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Usually neutral evil
*Advancement:* 8-14 HD (Medium)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_Is that sound the rustling of footsteps? Does something ghastly creep up behind you?! Whirling around you see... ...there's nothing there._

Hidebehinds are mysterious and rare monsters found in any forests from the Northern targa to the tropical jungles of the South. They are legendary for their stealth, most folk encountering these monsters only get a terrifying feeling of being watched. Only a handful of strong-willed souls have actually glimpsed a hidebehind, describing a horrible apish creature coated in shaggy black hair, with a scrawny loose-limbed build and a bulging forehead. Nothing is known about their habits, not even whether they are divided into males and females – no external differences that may indicate gender have been recorded.

There has been much speculation amongst sages as to the nature of the hidebehind. Many argue they are kin to the anthropophagous windigos of the frigid northlands, citing the ogrish man-eating and invisibility tricks of both monsters. Other scholars theorize hidebehinds are cousins to the agropelter, or even the sasquatch, because of their shared ape-like appearance.

An average specimen is about six feet tall and weighs around 150 pounds.

*Combat*
Hidebehinds are extraordinarily cautious combatants. They prefer to hunt intelligent prey, who are easier to target with their psychic powers, but will only attack single victims. A hidebehind always tries to withdraw if it senses more than one opponent, no matter how weak they seem to be. A hungry Hidebehind may use Nightmare Flight to try to panic one member of a small party into fleeing into the woods by themselves, where it can hunt them down at its leisure. If threatened, a hidebehind simply.

Once they've picked out a lonely victim, the Hidebehind repeatedly uses Nightmare Flight to terrify them into exhaustion, then sneaks up behind the poor soul and throttles them to death. If there's any chance of other creatures disturbing it, the hidebehind picks up its victim and Dimension Strides away. If the victim's body is too big, the hidebehind simply hacks off a small enough chunk of it to make a Medium load.

Killing a hidebehind is tricky, but not impossible, because the craven beast never willingly approaches more than one opponent and simply Dimension Strides away when threatened, meaning the hidebehind usually escapes, unless a hunter is able to slay the vile creature in one round, perhaps with an _arrow of slaying evil outsiders_. Thus, the easiest way to kill a hidebehind is to prevent it using its teleport ability, either by grappling the monster or through such spells as _dimensional anchor_.

Anyone hunting a hidebehind needs the ability to confound its Mindvision, else the monster will probably sense the trap and never approach. Normally, this requires mental or magical discipline to achieve but there are alternatives. The most successful hidebehind hunters on record where two brother monks, who simply tied up a goblin and left it in the woods, then hid in a nearby covert and blindfolded themselves. Since they could not see anything, they where 'blanked' to the hidebehind's mindvision, and they simply waited until the monster was throttling the goblin, then leapt out to grapple and kill the hidebehind.

*Dimension Stride (Sp)*
A hidebehind can teleport from its current position to any spot within 40 feet to which it has line of sight, as a move action. As a full round action it can teleport to any other spot within 400 feet, as if it used the _dimension door_ spell. A hidebehind cannot use Dimension Stride when carrying more than a Medium load (200 pounds), or a living creature that does not wish to be transported.

*Hide-Behind (Su)*
A hidebehind can keep itself out of sight of a single creature. The hidebehind selects a single victim it has pinpointed with mindsense, who must make a DC20 Will save or fall under the power's effects. Thereafter, the hidebehind automatically succeeds in Hide checks against that victim, so long as it spends a move action on every round the victim it's 'Hide-Behinding' from looks in its direction. This move action can be a normal move or a use of the monster's short-range Dimension Stride, but if the hidebehind is immobilized the Hide-Behind instantly end. The Hide-Behind power gives the hidebehind total concealment and flanking against its selected victim, even if the creature is standing right next to the poor sod and strangling them. 

Normally, a hidebehind will automatically know if its victim makes its Will saving throw, in which case it will either try to re-use its Hide-Behind power or give up and hunt elsewhere. However, a character with ranks in the Concentration or Autohypnosis skills, who succeeded in their Will save, can allow themselves to be partially affected by the Hide-Behind power in order to mislead the creature. Said character must make a Concentration or Autohypnosis check that beats the hidebehind's Spot check to successfully fool the creature. If the character has five or more ranks in Bluff they get a +2 bonus to this check from skill synergy. The hidebehind will have partial concealment against the character, since the faux-victim can not look at the monster without breaking the masquerade. The faux-victim can end the partial enchantment as a free action simply by looking directly at the hidebehind.

Note that this is not _invisibility_. The hidebehind is always visible, it's just that the monster is never where the victim is looking. It always ducks out of the victim's eyeline, while deflecting their attention to look elsewhere and befuddling the victim's ability to register the hidebehind's presence in their peripheral vision. Therefore, effects that penetrate or dispel _invisibility_ such as the _invisibility purge_ spell have no effect on the Hide-Behind power. It can be broken by any effect that interrupts the hidebehind's Mindvision of the victim, see below for details.

This is a Mind-Affecting effect. The save DC is Charisma based, and includes a +4 racial bonus.

*Improved Grab (Ex)*
To use this ability, a hidebehind must with a claw 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 throttle.

*Mindvision (Su)*
 Hidebehinds have the ability to perceive minds within a 120 foot radius sphere emanating from themselves. The hidebehind can automatically notice every creature with an intelligence of 1 or more within range. Mundane cover or concealment does not affect Mindvision, although range and distractions apply their standard penalties to the Spot check. The effect is blocked by lead sheeting. A hidebehind can pinpoint the location of a mind it senses by making a Spot check against a DC of 25 minus the Intelligence bonus of the creature, more powerful minds being easier to read with this sense. Without this pinpointing, creatures noticed by Mindvision will have concealment against the hidebehind unless it can also see them physically.

Any creature being observed by a hidebehind's Mindvision will sense it is being observed with a DC20 Spot check, although it requires a DC22 skill check against Knowledge (arcana), Knowledge (nature) or Knowledge (psionics) to identify a hidebehind as the cause of this "feeling of being watched". Mindvision is a Scrying power and registers on the _detect scrying_ spell, it is blocked by lead sheeting.

It is possible for a creature to 'blank' its thoughts, thereby concealing itself from Mindvision observation. This requires a move action and either a Will save or a skill check against Autohypnosis or Concentration. The result of this skill check or saving throw becomes the DC the hidebehind must beat with a Spot check in order to notice the mind. Mindvision requires the observed creature to be aware of its surroundings, an unconscious creature cannot be perceived with Mindvision and one that is asleep or blindfolded is always considered to be 'blanking' its thoughts with a +10 circumstance bonus on its DC to resist being observed with Mindvision.

Certain spells and psychic powers oppose Mindvision. The _invisibility_ spell has no effect on Mindvision, although effects that confound scrying such as _screen_ work normally. _Mind blank_ or _cloud mind_ renders a creature undetectable to Mindvision, _empty mind_ allows a creature to try to 'blank' its thoughts against Mindvision as an immediate action with a +10 enhancement bonus to its Will or Concentration checks.

*Nightmare Flight (Su)*
Three times per day, a hidebehind can cause one sapient creature within 60 feet to become panicked and flee if it fails a DC16 Will save. This is a Mind-Affecting Fear effect that lasts for one minute. The hidebehind does not need line-of-sight to use this power if it can pinpoint the target with its Mindvision. The victim suffers 1d10 points of damage and becomes fatigued and unable to sleep or regain arcane spells for the next 24 hours. If the victim is already fatigued they become exhausted. A _remove fear_ spell will undo the victim's inability to sleep or regain spells, _restoration_ spells will alleviate the fatigue or exhaustion.

The save DC is Charisma-based.

*Pass Through Forest (Su)*
A hidebehind can travel through forest terrain without leaving a trail or suffering any hindrance or damage from non-magical undergrowth, no matter how thick. Apart from being a supernatural power that only functions in woodland, this works like the Druid's class features Woodland Stride and Trackless Step.

*Throttle (Ex)*
On a successful grapple check, a hidebehind can lock its claws upon the throat of an opponent it's grappling that is no larger than itself. The throttled victim is considered pinned and takes 1d6+6 points of damage at the start of each round until the hidebehind's grapple is broken. A throttled creature cannot speak or cast spells with verbal components, and may also need to make Constitution checks to hold their breath (See the Suffocation rules) if the throttling cuts off their air supply for long enough.
*
Skills*
A Hidebehind doesn't need cover or concealment to make Hide checks while in a forest.

 *Lore Checks*
*DC 17* - If you're ever walking through the woods and hear something stepping along behind you, but see nothing when you turn round, mayhap you're a hidebehind be stalking you. Hidebehinds be invisible critters that strangle and devour lone folk lost in the forests, many a disappearance can be laid at their feet. They can move through the forest without leaving a hint of a trail.
*DC 22* - Hidebehinds have weird mind-powers. If you get a funny feeling like something horrible is watching you from the woods, it may mean a hidebehind is looking in your mind. A hidebehind can only become invisible to one person at a time, they don't go all see-through or nothing, but use some mind-trick to always step aside from wherever their victim is looking straight at, while boggling their victim's vision so they can't see the hidebehind out of the corner of their eyes. Their psychic powers can fill a victim with terror, driving them to flee through the woods in such a mad panic they exhaust themselves within minutes, softening them up for the kill.
*DC 27* - A hidebehind can disappear from one spot and reappear someplace else like that _dimension door_ magic I've heard tell of. This makes them almost impossible to catch, unless you's brave enough to grab hold of one, for a hidebehind can't disappear when a live person's holding on to it. Furthermore, since a hidebehind can look in folks' minds to see what they're seeing it's nigh impossible to ambush one. I've heard tell of hunters who'd set traps for a hidebehind and blindfold themselves so it couldn't sense their minds looking for it, while some shamans and monks can clear their thoughts so a hidebehind's mental eyes ain't able to see them.


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## Cleon (Dec 16, 2008)

Oh, since nobody seems to want to meet post #45's challenge to guess the SRD monster the previous critters were built up from, here they are:

Whirling Whimpus - originally a Dire Ape
Gumberoo - originally a Black Bear
Silver Cat - originally a Leopard
Snoligoster - originally a Giant Crocodile
Agropelter - originally a Dire Ape
Slide-Rock Bolter - originally a Cachalot Whale (with a dash of Purple Worm)

Most of these are pretty obvious, except for the Whimpus and Agropelter, who had so much monkeying about with their stats there was practically nothing of the Dire Ape left about them.

Oh golly, I got them all right! I guess I'd better praise my own perspicacity and award the prize to myself them ... hm, I think I'll the Snow Wasset next, since that was the beastie mentioned in the example.


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## demiurge1138 (Dec 17, 2008)

I'd have played along, except I didn't see that post! The hide-behind is pretty nifty; I'm guessing it's not based off of an SRD critter? Like a lot of your monsters, it's got a lot of complicated mechanics, but I can understand why it has 'em--to make them work like they did in the tales. My only complaint is that 40 feet seems like a small distance to teleport; if somebody comes to help a hide-behind victim, that hide-behind's going to be quite vulnerable.


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## Cleon (Dec 19, 2008)

demiurge1138 said:


> I'd have played along, except I didn't see that post! The hide-behind is pretty nifty; I'm guessing it's not based off of an SRD critter? Like a lot of your monsters, it's got a lot of complicated mechanics, but I can understand why it has 'em--to make them work like they did in the tales. My only complaint is that 40 feet seems like a small distance to teleport; if somebody comes to help a hide-behind victim, that hide-behind's going to be quite vulnerable.




The Hidebehind's actually at one remove from a SRD monster, since I built it from the Agropelter, which was built from the Dire Ape.

You're right about the complicated mechanics, I seem to have a taste for them! Guess I have a taste for exception-based design, giving beasties unique or rare powers is a good way to give them a character all of their own.

As for the short distance teleport, that was deliberate - if it could blink hundreds of feet away with a simple move action it'd be even harder to catch. Plus, I wanted it to be vulnerable when faced by more than one opponent, to explain the folklore about them only menacing lone people in the woods.

The Snow Wasset is about ready for release, I'll probably post it sometime this weekend.


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## Cleon (Dec 19, 2008)

Well the wassets are ready, so I might as well post them early. Hope you like them.


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## Cleon (Dec 19, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Snow Wasset and The Polar Wasset*

*Snow Wasset*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 3d10+9 (25 hp)
*Initiative:* +3
*Speed:* 10 ft. (2 squares) [_20 ft. in summer_], burrow 40 ft. [_in_ _snow, see below_], swim 20 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 16 (+3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13 [_usually under cover for another +4 AC_]
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +3/+5 [_+13 to prevent escape from jaws_]
*Attack:* Bite +6 melee (1d8+3)
*Full* *Attack:* Bite +6 melee (1d8+3)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Gnaw 1d8+3, improved grab, lock jaws, pull-down
*Special* *Qualities:* Cold resistance 10, frozen burrowing, hold breath, low-light vision, scent, tremorsense 60 ft.
*Saves:* Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 14, Dex 17, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
*Skills:* Escape Artist +13, Hide +5*[_+13 in native environment, +23 when buried in wait_], Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Spot +1, Swim +10
*Feats:* Stealthy, TrackB, Weapon Focus (Bite)
 *Environment:* Cold forests, marshes or plains
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 3
*Treasure:* Goods 25% (pelt)
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 4-5 (Medium), 6-9 HD (Large) 
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_Lying before you is a long-bodied creature resembling a man-sized stoat in form. The beast has few obvious features, its sleek body is covered in dense fur and tapers smoothly from an earless head shaped like that of a wolverine, to a flat tail like an otter's. The palisade of sharp fangs in its jaws clearly reveals a predatory nature._

Snow wassets are subarctic predators found in boreal forests. In winter a snow wasset is a legless white-furred animal a bit bigger than a man, looking something like a legless ermine. When spring comes around a wasset's fur turns green and it begins to grow rudimentary legs, which help it move about during the summer in a search for the refreshment of food, water and cool shade. A warm-season snow wasset can easily be mistaken for some kind of fat lizard, with its green furry hide and short legs. In the hottest weather the snow wasset retreats to a marsh, where it burrows into the drying mud like a lungfish to estivate - a "summer sleep" resembling hibernation. When autumn comes around its green fur turns brown, thus continuing to be useful camouflage. Finally, the first blizzards cover the land with snowdrifts and the wasset sheds its legs, grows its winter coat and slips away beneath the snow-crust to hunt.

A typical snow wasset is about 8 feet in length, including its tail, and weighs around 300 pounds.

*Combat*
A Snow wasset are only aggressive hunters during winter and nearly always attack while burrowing through snow, ambushing their victims from below. They normally fight with the protection of cover and concealment, since they need only protrude their muzzles from beneath the snow-crust to attack. In seasons when the ground is thawed out, snow wassets usually crawl away and hide from potential confrontations, only fighting when cornered.

Snow wassets seek to grab an opponent with their bite attack, then drag them under the snow with their Pull-Down attack to worry to death and then devour. If the victim escapes, the snow wasset may pursue them by porpoising through the snow. They are tenacious fighters, and once a snow wasset has locked its jaws upon a victim it takes severe punishment (at least half their hit points in damage), if not death to compel the wasset to relinquish its prey.

*Frozen Burrowing (Ex)*
A snow wasset can burrow through snow as easily as a fish swims through water. It can also "swim" slowly (burrow 10 ft.) through solid ice or ground that is mostly frozen water, such as frozen mud, but can not burrow through stony ground or bedrock. A snow wasset can choose to leave a tunnel behind itself while burrowing, but usually elects not to since this slows them greatly (to burrow 10 ft. in snow, 5 ft. in ice).

A snow wasset can make a Run action while burrowing in snow by skimming across the surface in a series of leaps, like a skipping stone or porpoising dolphin bounces across the surface of water. When running in this fashion, a snow wasset throws up great spumes of snow and ice particles as it enters and emerges from the ground. A porpoising wasset does not benefit from any cover for burrowing, since it spends most of its transit time above ground, but it does have concealment from the obscuring cloud of hail it casts about.

Snow wassets breathe air, so will suffocate if they "swim" for too long through solid ice without surfacing to draw breath. They can breathe normally in a loose, airy medium such as a snow drift, since their nostrils are guarded by a special mat of bristles which filter out such particles.

*Hold Breath (Ex)*
A snow wasset can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 times its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

*Improved Grab (Ex)*
To use this ability, a snow wasset 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 gnaw or pit-pull its opponent.

*Gnaw (Ex)*
On a successful grapple check, a snow wasset deals 1d8+3 points of damage to an opponent it has grappled with its bite attack.

*Lock Jaws (Ex)*
Snow wassets can lock their jaws closed, giving them a +8 racial bonus to grapple checks to prevent the escape of opponents it has grappled with its bite attack.

*Pull-Down (Ex)*
A snow wasset can drag a single grappled victim no larger than itself into the snow as a standard action provided it is free to move by burrowing. This requires a standard action and a successful grapple check, which must also beat the grapple checks of any other participants in the grapple. The snow wasset get a +4 bonus on its grapple check to pull a pinned opponent into the snow, but only if no one else is involved in the grapple. If the pull-down succeeds the snow wasset breaks the hold(s) of any other creatures grappling it, since only the chosen victim is pulled under, the other creatures being left upon the surface.

The snow wasset does not necessarily pull the victim completely under the snow, but they are deep enough that the snow wasset has total cover and total concealment against any other opponents on the surface. The wasset has cover and concealment against its snow-buried victim, giving the wasset +4 AC and the victim a 20% miss chance. The confined quarters of the snow-pit the victim is in means they can only wield light slashing or piercing weapons.

The victim, or their allies, can attempt to pull the victim out of the snow using the rules for moving in a grapple.

*Skills*
Snow wassets have a +8 racial bonus to their Hide checks in their native terrain when their coat-colour is appropriate for the local climate. Further, a burrowing snow wasset can lie with only its eyes and nostrils showing above the surface, gaining a +10 cover bonus on Hide checks. A snow wasset's keen hearing gives it a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks. A wasset's legless flexibility and coat of slick fur gives it a +10 racial bonus to Escape Artist checks.

A snow wasset 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.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 13* - Snow wassets are slinky critters like eight-foot long legless ermine. They burrow about in deep snowdrifts to bite prey from below, who they then pull down into the snowdrifts. They have no compunctions against eating up man, wolf or elk when they're hungry.
*DC 18* - When the snow melts, a snow wasset's fur turns green and it grow little legs, all the better to sneak around the forests they live in. If the weather gets hot, they hide in swamps.
*DC 23* - A snow wasset don't need to see you to know where you are, they can feel your footsteps through their whiskers up to twenty yards away. If you stand dead still, the wasset won't know where you are, unless it sticks its head out of the snow for a look-see.

*Ecology*
Snow wassets are migratory animals, spending their summers at more northerly latitudes and moving south after the first winter storms have covered the forests with the snowdrifts they need to travel. Snow wassets are vigorous beasts during winter, so need to catch an abundance of prey to sustain themselves. They are experts at slipping silently through the snow, and can surprise even such flighty animals as snow hares. The bulk of their diet is birds and varmints like ptarmigans, burrowing grouse, rabbits, lemmings and the like, but when the winter draws late and such meals become scarce they will take on stronger prey like caribou, elk or even wolves.

Some sages theorize that the wasset is a relative of the snoligoster, them both being furry, lizard-shaped mammalian predators that retire to marshes.

Snow wassets are solitary creatures, only gathering to breed. Each requires a considerable territory to produce enough animal life for them to survive the harshest of winters. Female wassets produce 2-4 pups in a den carved out of ice with no passages to it apart from a narrow ventilation-shaft covered in snow, the mother wasset never leaves an open tunnel behind herself when entering or departing the den, thus safeguarding it from most predators. She feeds her young a rich diet of first milk and then regurgitated meat. Usually the hunting is only good enough to raise one or two of the litter, the weaker pups generally starve to death and are then devoured by their cold-hearted parent and siblings. Infant wassets stay in the den, growing rapidly, until they're about two thirds adult size (Medium sized, about 5' long, 100-150 lbs weight, 2d10+6 Hit Dice, Str 10), whereupon their burrowing power manifests and they leave their den for the first time and disperse. Juvenile wassets do not need parental lessons in how to catch food, being born with fine-honed hunting instincts. The mother wasset offers her young no more care once they've left the den, and will drive them out of her territory if she encounters them.

The fur of a snow wasset has many remarkable properties. It offers superb insulation from the cold, and neither water nor snow will adhere to it, making it marvellous protection for an animal that burrows through subzero snow and ice. The fur is made up of hollow transparent hairs which, in warm weather, become host to symbiotic algae which provide the snow wasset with its camouflaging green or brown coloration and, possibly, a minor source of nourishment. The algae within these hairs dies off over autumn before the wasset sheds its summer coat, the snow wasset keeps a store of live algae in glands beneath its tail to replenish its fur-flora after winter has passed.

The fur also contains the secret to their burrowing skill, for a live wasset has the paranormal power to turn frozen water within a finger's breadth of its hair into a supercold liquid, thus allowing them to melt their way through snow or ice without needing to actually expend warmth. The 'liquid ice' thus created has a lower volume than solid ice, just like liquid water is denser than ice. When a burrowing wasset uses its whiskers to transform an area in front of its snout into liquid, the drop in pressure literally sucks the wasset forward and thus speeds its passage, the liquid ice then flows around to behind the wasset and instantly re-freezes back to its initial form, expanding to its original volume and pushing the wasset ahead.

These properties make wasset pelts a valuable commodity (see Treasure, below). Catching and killing a wasset without damaging the skin is a tricky proposition, made dangerous by a wasset's willingness to attack men, so the people of the far North prefer to use traps to hunt them. A common method is to set out a bait, a hobbled caribou calf being ideal, surrounded with a whole battery of dead-falls. The trigger is set so that a dozen logs fall in from all sides toward the bait, pinning the wasset under the snow wherever it may be, since it is impossible to tell from what direction the animal will approach beneath the snow. Some tribes prefer a circle of snares around a bait, but these are less effective than dead-falls, since a wasset's streamlined body makes it very good at wriggling out of such nooses.

One curious observation about snow wassets is that when they porpoise across snow they leave a trail of 6-8 foot long prints that superficially resemble enormous humanoid footprints. Any folk watching a distant trail being created rarely notices the wasset that creates it, since the porpoising beast is both superbly camouflaged and concealed by flying snow. Such trails may start in the middle of a snowfield, often pursuing some animal or person and ending suddenly with the disappearance of the trails of both the "giant" and the pursued creature, sometimes with a pit containing a few shreds of frozen flesh. This evidence has led to legends that such trails are the work of invisible, flying carnivorous giants, who land to chase down victims, who they punch into the ground or snatch up and fly away with, then devour. (See the Windigo Giant, below, for stats for this legendary monster.)

*Polar Wasset*
Even further to the north, in the true arctic, lives the polar wasset. Polar wassets are more streamlined in shape than their relatives the snow wassets, they look rather like furry, finless killer whales with a flat paddle-like tail like a dugong's. Polar wassets are covered in fur like a snow wasset, which may turn green in warm weather. Unlike snow wassets, they never metamorphose to grow or shed legs.

Polar wassets have very small eyes, since good vision is of little use to a critter that spends most of its life either under ice or in the month-long darkness of the arctic winter. They make up for this deficit by having a superbly developed version of tremorsense, just as effective in its own way as the blindsight sonar of a dolphin or whale.

A polar wasset can endure cold of any intensity, but can not abide temperatures above freezing for very long. Temperatures above 32° F are _very hot conditions_ to a polar wasset, requiring it to make a Fortitude check (DC 15 + 1 per previous check) for every hour they spend in the "heat" or take 1d4 nonlethal damage, which cannot be recovered until the polar wasset gets out of the warms and cools down again, while 60° F is _severe heat_ to a polar wasset (save every 10 minutes or take 1d4 nonlethal damage and suffer fatigue from heatstroke) and 90° F is _extreme heat_ (save every five minutes or take 1d4 lethal damage plus heatstroke).

Polar wassets can burrow through solid ice and frozen mud as easily as snow. They are often found in tundra, where even in the height of summer they can easily dive to the comfortable chill of the permafrost underneath the warmed-up topsoil. Snow wassets can also live in such terrain, but the polar wasset is far better suited for dwelling in tundra, so the former species rarely succeeds in settling such terrain. Polar wassets also live along the coastline, where they venture out into frozen seas to compete with polar bears in the hunt for seals and their pups. When the approach of spring threatens to warm the climate to a life-threatening heat the polar wassets must either migrate to the tundra or withdraw to estivate in a glacier until the next winter.

Polar wassets have the same statistics for snow wassets, except for the following changes:

*Medium Magical Beast (Cold)*
*Speed:* 10 ft. (2 squares), burrow 40 ft. [_frozen strata only_], swim 30 ft.
*Special* *Qualities:*  Frozen burrowing, hold breath, immunity to cold, low-light vision, scent, tremorsight 120 ft. [_defaults to tremorsense 60 ft._], vulnerability to fire
*Environment:* Cold plains or aquatic [_frozen seas_].
*Skills:* Escape Artist +13, Hide +5*[_+13 in arctic environment, +23 when buried in wait_], Listen +8*, Move Silently +8, Spot +5*[_-3 without tremorsight_], Swim +10

*A polar wasset has a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost if its tremorsight is negated. Polar wassets have poor eyesight, giving them a -4 racial penalty to Spot checks when they have to rely on vision alone.

*Frozen Burrowing (Ex)*
A polar wasset can burrow through snow or solid ice as easily as a fish swims through water. It can also "swim" through ground that is mostly frozen water, such as tundra or frozen mud, but can not burrow through stony ground or bedrock. A polar wasset can choose to leave a tunnel behind itself while burrowing, but usually elect not to since this slows them greatly (to burrow 10 ft.).

A polar wasset can make a Run action while burrowing by skimming across the surface in a series of leaps, like a skipping stone or porpoising dolphin bounces across the surface of water. When running in this fashion, a polar wasset throws up great spumes of snow and ice particles as it enters and emerges from the ground. A porpoising wasset does not benefit from any cover for burrowing, since it spends most of its transit time above ground, but it does have concealment from the obscuring cloud of hail it casts about.

*Tremorsight (Ex)*
A polar wasset possesses an incredibly acute combination of vibration sensitivity and echolocation which bears the same relation to tremorsense as blindsight does to blindsense. This tremorsight only functions while the polar wasset is burrowing or swimming, and must be triggered as a free action. As a result, the wasset only gains the benefits of its tremorsight during its turn. If the wasset elects not to use tremorsight it still gets the benefit of tremorsense to a 60 foot range. A polar wasset's tremorsight works through liquid water as well as it does ice.

When active, tremorsight works just like blindsight except that the polar wasset can only sense objects immersed or in contact with the ground or water within a 120 foot cone. If no straight path exists through the ground/water from the wasset to the object(s) it is sensing, then the range defines the maximum distance of the shortest indirect path. Unlike tremorsense, tremorsight can detect stationary objects through echolocation, so creatures can not conceal themselves simply by not moving, although a successful Move Silently check against the polar wasset's Spot check will grant such creature concealment against the wasset's tremorsight. Deafening attacks and silence spells thwart a polar wasset's tremorsight, granting its opponents total concealment.

*Treasure*
Neither breed of arctic wasset values treasure, and since they devour prey on the spot there is almost no chance of any valuables possession of their victims finding their way into the wasset's den.

An average wasset pelt is worth some 225 gp, provided it is intact and in good condition, the largest and finest wasset pelts are worth about 500 gp (value equals one quarter of the treasure value of the wasset's Challenge Rating). Removing the pelt from a dead wasset requires a DC 20 Survival check, or a DC 15 Craft (Butchery) check, failing this check damages the skin and halves its value.

A complete wasset skin is peculiarly suited to the making of shapely single-seat canoes, being tough, able to shed ice and snow and just the right size and shape to stretch over a kayak-frame. A white winter pelt is best, since it is legless so won’t have leg-holes to seal up.

Wasset pelts can be used in the creation of a number of magical items, such as the _wasset coat_ and _wasset kayak_: These are so useful in the boreal regions they command a high price, leading to the existence of fakes made from the skins of wassets, or merely polar bears, often with the addition of a _magic aura_ spell to provide a fraudulent enchantment.

*Wasset Coat*
A _wasset coat_ is a full body garment made from a double layer or wasset skin, with fur on both the outside and inside. The coat keeps the wearer comfortably warm at temperatures down to –50° F, as if he were affected by an _endure elements_ spell and continually protects its wearer with cold resistance 5. In addition, a _wasset coat_ is a Cold Weather Outfit that is as light and easy to wear as a Traveller's Outfit, so grants a +5 circumstance bonus on Fortitude saving throws against exposure to cold weather and weighs 5 pounds for a Medium sized user. Finally, the white fur of the coat is excellent camouflage against snow or ice, providing a +5 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.

Faint abjuration; CL 3rd; Craft Wondrous Item, _endure elements, resist energy_; Price 5,000 gp, weighs 5 lbs.

*Wasset Kayak*
These single-seater kayaks possess the power of instantly liquefying ice on contact, just like a live wasset, so a _wasset kayak_ floats on ice just as if it were liquid water. This allows a wasset kayaker to paddle across a glacier or frozen river as if they were a lake of still water, while grinding ice-sheets do as little damage to a _wasset kayak_ as splashing waves. This effect extends to the kayaker if they wear a _wasset coat_, which would allow them to be caught between clashing icebergs and suffer damage equivalent to being swamped by a giant wave. Drowning is the main risk to someone navigating an arctic ocean in a _wasset kayak_, even If they're buried under ice, the kayak and its occupant just float to the surface, where the kayaker can easily roll their vessel upright if it has capsized.

A _wasset kayak_ must be made from the pelt of a polar wasset. One enchanted from a snow wasset pelt will float on ice, but can barely move – it's like trying to paddle through mud.

W_asset kayak_s may bear an additional enchantment which substitutes for the slats of a kayak-frame. Such a _wasset kayak_ collapses into a loose pelt, which can be rolled up for easy stowage, whenever anyone rubs a symbol tattooed on the floor beneath the kayak's seat three times counter-clockwise. Shake out the pelt and rub the symbol again in the opposite direction and the skin expands back into a handy little vessel. A few of these _wasset kayaks_ use command words as well as, or instead of, this gesture. Boreal aborigines who own collapsing _wasset kayaks_ often perform elaborate charades of chanting and gesturing when transforming them in the presence of strangers, in order to conceal the simple secret of their activation.

Moderate transmutation; CL 7th (standard), 9th (collapsing version); Craft Wondrous Item, creator must have 2 ranks in the Craft (shipmaking) skill, _gentle repose_, _fabricate_ (collapsing version); Price 7,200 gp (standard), 9,000 gp (collapsing version); Weight 50 lb, (5 lbs collapsed).


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## freyar (Dec 19, 2008)

Excellent!  You really put a lot of effort into these!

I'm probably wrong, but I feel a dire weasel kind of vibe from these...


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## demiurge1138 (Dec 19, 2008)

Cleon said:


> You're right about the complicated mechanics, I seem to have a taste for them! Guess I have a taste for exception-based design, giving beasties unique or rare powers is a good way to give them a character all of their own.



Have you considered designing monsters for either 2nd or 4th Edition? The trend towards exception-based design seems to skip editions in D&D.

The wassets are cool (no pun intended), but, on the subject of wasset coats, wouldn't endure elements render a bonus on Fort saves for cold climates redundant?


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## freyar (Dec 19, 2008)

Don't you think there are quite a few unique abilities among 3e monsters, too?


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## Cleon (Dec 19, 2008)

freyar said:


> Excellent!  You really put a lot of effort into these!
> 
> I'm probably wrong, but I feel a dire weasel kind of vibe from these...




You are not wrong, the Wassets were indeed built from the SRD's Dire Weasel.

The bit about their ice-melting power was inspired by combining the Hot-Headed Ice Mole and the 2nd edition AD&D Ecology of the Bulette. When I was statting up the Snow Wasset I kept coming up with ideas I liked which didn't fit the description - giving it the Cold subtype, swimming through ice, tremorsight, roaming ice floes for  to hunt seal cubs etc - so I decided to spin off a subspecies to use them.


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## Cleon (Dec 19, 2008)

demiurge1138 said:


> Have you considered designing monsters for either 2nd or 4th Edition? The trend towards exception-based design seems to skip editions in D&D.
> 
> The wassets are cool (no pun intended), but, on the subject of wasset coats, wouldn't endure elements render a bonus on Fort saves for cold climates redundant?




Well 2nd edition is even more obsolete than 3rd, so I'm quite happy just gossiping/brainstorming/reminiscing about the 2nd edition Monster Manual over on RPG.net. I guess if I was going to be writing up AD&D monsters I probably would go for the more background-intensive 2nd edition (I'm not a big fan of using the word "fluff" for the non-mechanical statistics), but there's not really that much difference in the systems. I've got no plans for moving onto 4th edition, it just doesn't push my buttons very well - or pushes the wrong ones, since I'm more of a simulationist.



demiurge1138 said:


> The wassets are cool (no pun intended), but, on the subject of wasset coats, wouldn't endure elements render a bonus on Fort saves for cold climates redundant?




The _Endure Elements_ spell only works down to minus fifty Fahrenheit (about -45.6 degrees Centigrade), the Fortitude bonus is for temperatures below that. The average winter temperature in the arctic is about -40F (-40C), so a -50F/-40C temperature is quite possible, especially if windchill is thrown in. It gets even chillier in the Antarctic.


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## Cleon (Dec 25, 2008)

Today I'll break from the regular Lumberjack Critters, to present you with a few North American monsters suited to this season, all variants of the same legendary menace. Some of them have flown all the way down from the uttermost North for this festive occasion, just pray that you're not part of their yuletide feast!

Merry Christmas!


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## Cleon (Dec 25, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Windigo Giant*

*Windigo Giant* 
Huge Outsider (Air, Cold, Evil, Native)
*Hit* *Dice:* 10d8+50 (95 hp)
*Initiative:* +1
*Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares), fly 80 ft. (clumsy)
*Armor* *Class:* 22 (-2 size, +1 Dex, +13 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 21
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +10/+27
*Attack:* Slam +17 melee (1d8+9 plus 1d6 cold)
*Full* *Attack:* 2 slams +17 melee (1d8+9 plus 1d6 cold) and bite +12 melee (2d6+4 plus 1d6 cold) or icicle +11/+6 ranged (1d8+9 plus 1d6 cold)
*Space/Reach:* 15 ft./ 15 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Devour, freezing aura, glimpse of madness [_3/day_], icicles, improved grab
*Special* *Qualities:* Darkvision 60 ft., damage reduction 10/good, fast healing 10 [_equals Hit Dice_], howling winds, immunities (ability loss, cold, disease, energy drain, paralysis, poison, polymorph, sleep, starvation, stun, suffocation and thirst), low-light vision, mania [_immunity to mind-reading and mind-affecting powers_], natural invisibility, scent, spell resistance 20, undying, vulnerability to fire, wanderer's curse, wind walker
*Saves:* Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +8
*Abilities:* Str 29, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 20
*Skills:* Hide +6*[_+14 in winter, +26 or +34 with invisibility_], Listen +16, Move Silently +14, Spot +16, Survival +14
*Feats:* Alertness, Improved Overrun, Track, Power Attack
*Environment:* Any cold land
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 10
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral evil
*Advancement:* 11-15 (Huge); 16-25 HD (Gargantuan); 26-40 (Colossal)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_The air freezes into the rimy outline of a ghastly giant, towering at least five times the height of a man. Naked and bearded with icicles, it is clearly impervious to the cold. The hellish thing has the jutting ribs and bony frame of someone dying of starvation, but it moves with horrible strength and purpose. The worst thing about it is the cosmic emptiness of its icy blue eyes, which threaten to shatter your sanity in their hungry depths._

A typical windigo giant is around thirty feet in height but skeletally lean, weighing only 10,000 pounds.

According to legend, the windigo giants were once cursed humans, turned into evil spirits after breaking the taboo against cannibalism. Whatever the truth of the tale, a windigo giant shows no trace of any humanity they may once have possessed, being little more than a raving, man-eating beast. Windigo giants are perpetually starving, always lusting after human flesh. Eating a victim does not assuage a windigo giant's appetite, merely causing the monster to grow bigger while staying just as gaunt and hungry.

The greatest of all windigo giants is the legendary Ithaqua, a true immortal with at least 60 Hit Dice. This creature has divine ranks and, quite literally, can not be killed by non-divine beings.

*Combat*
Windigo giants are not subtle combatants. They prefer to land to fight foes, being clumsy fliers, and are so confident in their Undying power that they almost never refuse combat. Their tactics are typically very crude, just disrupting their foes with a Glimpse of Madness and then trying to grab and Devour as many victims as they can catch. They usually only use their hurled icicles when barred from melee for some reason, or in pursuit of fleeing foes.

Due to their Wanderer's Curse, windigo giants can not stay to fight in one place for very long, usually trying to grab a few victims then flying off to devour them. They are as unpredictable as the winds; sometimes they snatch a single victim and vanish, sometimes they returning again and again until an entire expedition or village has been devoured, a few at a time.

The Northern tribes traditionally deal with windigo giants by using abjuration magic to banish it or bar its approach, or by permanently neutralizing them through such _spells as imprisonment_ or _flesh to stone_. Failing this, fire attacks and flaming weapons are the next best approach, since windigo giants are highly vulnerable to such attacks so can quickly be reduce to zero hit points and dispersed. Actually killing one is far more difficult, requiring a death blow from a weapon of enchanted bone or horn.

*Devour (Ex)*
On a successful grapple check, a windigo giant can deal 2d6+13 hit points of damage plus 2d4 Con drain to any opponent it is holding in a grapple, by biting off and swallowing great chunks of its foe. A DC 20 Fortitude Save halves the amount of Con damage. The save DC is Constitution based. Don't forget the grappled victim will also suffer cold damage from the windigo's Freezing Aura.

For every hit point of damage the windigo giant inflicts with Devour, the windigo can heal one hit point of its own damage. This healing works even for injuries that are normally immune to magical healing.

A windigo giant can rapidly devour the dead body of any Humanoid, increasing its own mass by the body weight of the corpse. For every thousand pounds of weight it gains thereby, the windigo's hit dice increase by one. A Huge windigo giant can eat a corpse of Small size or less as a free action, a Medium corpse as a full-round action, a Large corpse in a single minute, a Huge corpse in 10 minutes, a Gargantuan corpse in an hour and a Colossal corpse in a day.

For bigger windigo giants shift these eating times by one step for each increase in the windigo's size category, so a Colossal windigo would take one minute to devour a Gargantuan corpse. Advanced windigo giants also do increased damage with their devour attack – 2d6 Con drain if Gargantuan, 2d8 Con drain if Colossal.

A windigo giant loses one percent of its total weight every year, during the summer it spends in gaseous form. Thus, it must eat at least a few victims each winter to maintain its body weight. This loss cannot reduce a windigo giant's weight to below 10,000 pounds.

*Fast Healing (Su)*
Windigo giants possess Fast Healing equal to their Hit Dice. A windigo giant's fast healing does not heal injuries inflicted by fire or enchanted weapons made of bone or horn. The windigo's fast healing can re-attach a severed limb with a full round action. A windigo giant can regrow any and all missing body parts by spending a minute continuously in gaseous form. 

*Freezing Aura (Su)*
A windigo giant radiates the cold of cosmic depths. Within sixty feet of a windigo, the environment is considered one degree colder - so cold weather would become severe cold, and severe cold becomes extreme cold. If the weather is already extreme cold then the chill is so abyssal it inflicts 2d6 lethal cold damage per round, halved with a successful Fortitude save (DC 15, +1 per previous check). Furthermore, the windigo adds 1d6 cold damage to all its attacks or does 5d6 cold damage per round to any creature its body is in contact with, applied at the start of its round.

Bigger windigo giants radiate even more intense cold - Gargantuan windigo giants have a freezing aura emanating to a ninety foot radius and add 2d6 cold damage to their attacks or or 8d6 in a grapple, Colossal windigo giants have a 150 foot radius aura and add 3d6 cold damage to their attacks or 12d6 in a grapple.

*Glimpse of Madness (Su)*
A windigo giant can reveal the uttermost cosmic horrors of nature while becoming visible for the briefest of instants. This acts as a 60 foot range gaze attack, which the windigo giant can use once per day for every three Hit Dice it possesses. All who fall within its effect must make a DC 20 saving throw against Will or suffer 1d4 Wisdom damage and _confusion_, as the spell, for the next hour. A Gargantuan windigo giant's Glimpse of Madness causes 2d4 Wisdom damage and confusion which lasts an entire day, while a Colossal windigo giant's causes 3d4 Wisdom damage and permanent confusion, like the _insanity_ spell.

This effect is a Mind-Affecting Compulsion, the damage of which can be completely healed by a restoration spell of appropriate strength - _lesser restoration_ for a standard windigo giant, _restoration_ for a Gargantuan windigo giant and _greater restoration_ for a Colossal windigo giant.

The save DC is Charisma based.

*Howling Winds (Su)*
A windigo giant can cause the air around it to whirl around its body in a shrieking vortex as a free action. The windigo must employ these winds to use its regular Fly speed of 80 ft. (clumsy). Howling Winds make it impossible for the windigo giant to Move Silently, but protects the windigo as if it were surrounded on all sides by a _wind wall_ spell with a radius equal to the windigo giant's reach. (flying creatures of Small size or less cannot pass through the barrier, Arrows and bolts automatically miss, any other normal ranged weapon have a 30% miss chance, although massive ranged weapons are unaffected. Gases, most gaseous breath weapons, and creatures in gaseous form cannot penetrate the Howling Wind but it's no obstacle to incorporeal creatures.)

*Icicles (Su)*
A windigo giant can grow up to five icicles anywhere upon its body as a free action, which it can break off and hurl as thrown weapons. These icicles can be used to make iterative ranged attacks, and have a 120 ft. range increment when thrown by a windigo giant, with a thrown weapon's standard maximum range of five range increments, or 600 feet.

*Improved Grab (Ex)*
A windigo giant must hit with a slam attack to use this ability. 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 Devour.

*Immunities (Ex)*
A windigo giant is immune to all forms of ability loss or energy drain, and takes no damage from starvation, thirst, or suffocation; they also possesses immunity to disease, poison, sleep effects, polymorph, paralysis and stunning.

*Mania (Ex)*
A windigo giant is immune to mind-affecting powers, including enchantment magic. Any mind-reading ability used upon a windigo will only read an insatiable lust for human flesh.

*Natural Invisibility (Ex)*
A windigo giant is continuously invisible, as the spell _greater invisibility_. This invisibility can be dispelled, but is automatically reestablished on the windigo's next turn as a free action. Furthermore, penetrating the invisibility allows the windigo giant to employ one of the daily uses of Glimpse of Madness as an immediate action. Such a use of the windigo giant's Glimpse of Madness power only affect those able to see the windigo - so a wizard using _see invisibility _to view a windigo giant would be the only one affected by the Glimpse of Madness, but one using _invisibility purge_ would expose everyone else to the power.
 
A windigo giant's Natural Invisibility does not give it an increased DC to hide when holding then when active, since its Freezing Aura power has the side-effect of causing a stationary windigo to immediately be covered by a faint rime of frost frozen out of the atmosphere, which is shaken off as soon as the windigo moves. The six-foot long footprints in the snow are a bigger giveaway to a windigo giant's invisible presence, though.

 *Spell Resistance (Su)*
A windigo giant possesses spell resistance equal to 15 plus half its Hit Dice.

*Undying (Su)*
A windigo giant can only be reduced to negative hit points by a weapon made of enchanted bone or horn. If reduced to 0 hp or below, a windigo giant is instantly forced to assume its gaseous Wind Walker form and must remain in that state for a month, after which it can assume a solid form once more at full health. Thus, to slay a windigo giant an attacker must reduce its hip points from a positive to a fatal value with a single blow.

*Wanderer's Curse (Su)*
Although a windigo giant is a Native Outsider, it can be affected by powers that banish extraplanar creatures, such as the _dispel evil _spell. If successfully 'banished' by such a power, the windigo is forced to wander in Wind Walker form for a month, just as if it had been reduced to 0 hit points.

A windigo giant can also be turned and rebuked by a cleric, but not commanded or destroyed. If the turning is powerful enough to destroy or command the windigo they are banished instead.

Furthermore, a windigo giant is cursed to never stay in one place. Whenever the windigo spends more than two rounds without making a Move action it must make a Will Save against a DC 20, the amount by which it makes the roll is the number of additional rounds the windigo can bear to stay in one place, after which the windigo must make at least three Move actions before spending another round without moving.

*Wind Walker (Su)*
Windigo giants are also called Wind Walkers, since they possess a supernatural power which may have inspired the _wind walk_ spell. As a standard action, a windigo giant can switch from solid to gaseous form, or vice versa. The windigo cannot carry any objects while in gaseous form, nor can it switch from gaseous to solid form if the weather is above freezing. In gaseous form, a windigo giant can fly at a speed of 10 feet with perfect maneuverability, or summon a magical wind that wafts the windigo along at up to 600 feet per round (60 mph) with poor maneuverability. Wind walker flight does not require the use of Howling Winds, unlike when a windigo giant flies in solid form.

*Skills*
A windigo giant's white skin and hair gives it a +8 racial bonus to Hide checks against clouds, snow or ice.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 20* - A windigo is a legendary monster of the far North, an invisible giant that flies about and eats people. They are said to only appear in winter, accompanied by howling winds and freezing air. Many of the natives believe in these creatures, they carry amulets and erect totems in their settlements supposed to ward off these windigos. I've heard that some scholars examined a set of windigo 'footprints' the natives discovered, and found they were nothing but the trail of a wasset leaping across the snow.
*DC 25* - Don' ye heed any of 'em fool scholars words aboot der bein' no such thing as windigos, dey exist for sure. Dem things were once evil cannibals, doomed to wander the icy wastes forever cause dey broke the taboo 'gainst eatin' their own kin. Cos dey's evil spirits, dey can be exorcised by spells and da faith of holy folks. If ye ain't got the blessings of da gods, da purity of fire can burn a windigo aways. Not that dat wuld get rid of a windigo for good, dey always come back somewhere next moon or next winter. Da damn things are immortal, I've heard nothin' can kill 'un...
...Oh one more thing, 'tis said their invisibility is a blessing for mankind, not a curse. I 'eard a wizzard once used his magic to look through a windigo's invisibility, and whatever he saw turned him into a raving loonatic.
*DC 30* - Heed my words! Before Imuchak, greatest of the shamankas, we only had our prayers, our charms and our totems to keep the windigo away. But Imuchak, greatest of the shamankas, used her powers to defeat them! Imuchak defeated them using the powers of earth, by turning the windigo into lumps of stone. When a windigo ate her daughter, Imuchak carved a dagger from her thighbone and spoke spells over it. Imuchak plunged this enchanted bone in the windigo's heart, slaying it forever. The weapon Imuchak made from her own thighbone to kill the windigo still exists, stashed in a secret place. When the windigo return to feast on us, the bone to kill windigo will come out of hiding to help us once again.

*Advanced Windigo Giants*
For your convenience, here are compact stat-blocks for windigo giants in each available size category:

*Huge Windigo Giant* (Hit Dice: 10d8+50(95hp); Init: +1; Speed: 40 ft., fly 80 ft(clumsy); AC: 22(-2 size, +1 Dex, +13 natural) touch 9, flat-footed 21; Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+27; Attacks: 2 slams +17 melee (1d8+9 plus 1d6 cold) and bite +12 melee (2d6+4 plus 1d6 cold) or icicle +11/+6 ranged (1d8+9 plus 1d6 cold); Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.; Special Attacks/Qualities: Devour (2d6+13 hp plus 2d4 Con drain, DC 20 Fort for half Con drain), damage resistance 10/good, fast healing 10, freezing aura (5d6 cold damage in grapple), glimpse of madness (3/day, DC 20 Will else 1d4 Wis damage plus hour-long _confusion_), howling winds, immunities, improved grab, mania, natural invisibility, spell resistance 20, undying, wind walker; Saves: Fort +12, Ref +8, Will +8; Abilities: Str 29, Dex 12, Con 21, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 20; Skills: Hide +6*[_+14 in winter, +26 or +34 with invisibility_], Listen +16, Move Silently +14, Spot +16, Survival +14; Feats: Alertness, Improved Overrun, Track, Power Attack; CR: 10)

*Gargantuan Windigo* (Hit Dice: 16d8+112(184hp); Init: +1; Speed: 40 ft., fly 80 ft(clumsy); AC: 24(-4 size, +1 Dex, +17 natural) touch 7, flat-footed 23; Base Attack/Grapple: +16/+42; Attacks: 2 slams +25 melee (2d6+14/19-20 plus 2d6 cold) and bite +20 melee (3d6+7 plus 2d6 cold) or icicle +17/+12/+7 ranged (2d6+14 plus 2d6 cold); Space/Reach: 20 ft./20 ft.; Special Attacks/Qualities: Devour (3d6+21 hp plus 2d6 Con drain, DC 25 Fort for half Con drain), damage resistance 10/good, fast healing 16, freezing aura (8d6 cold damage in grapple), glimpse of madness (5/day, DC 23 Will else 2d4 Wis damage plus day-long _confusion_), howling winds, immunities, improved grab, mania, natural invisibility, spell resistance 23, undying, wind walker; Saves: Fort +15, Ref +13, Will +11; Abilities: Str 38, Dex 12, Con 25, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 20; Skills: Hide +8*(_+16 in winter, +28 or +36 with invisibility_), Listen +22, Move Silently +22, Spot +22, Survival +20; Feats: Alertness, Improved Critical (Slam), Improved Overrun, Lightning Reflexes, Track, Power Attack; CR: 13)

*Colossal Windigo* (Hit Dice: 26d8+260(377hp); Init: +2; Speed: 40 ft., fly 80 ft(clumsy); AC: 26(-8 size, +2 Dex, +22 natural) touch 4, flat-footed 24; Base Attack/Grapple: +26/+60; Attacks: 2 slams +36 melee (3d6+18/19-20 plus 1d6 cold) and bite +31 melee (4d6+9 plus 1d6 cold) or icicle +28/+23/+18/+13 ranged (3d6+18 plus 1d6 cold); Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.; Special Attacks/Qualities: Devour (4d6+27 hp plus 2d8 Con drain, DC 33 Fort for half Con drain), damage resistance 10/good, fast healing 26, freezing aura (10d6 cold damage in grapple), glimpse of madness (8/day, DC 28 Will else 3d4 Wis damage plus permanent _insanity_), howling winds, immunities, improved grab, mania, natural invisibility, spell resistance 28, undying, wind walker; Saves: Fort +21, Ref +19, Will +18; Abilities: Str 46, Dex 14, Con 30, Int 4, Wis 12, Cha 20; Skills: Hide +17*(_+25 in winter, +37 or +45 with invisibility_), Listen +32, Move Silently +33, Spot +32, Survival +30; Feats: Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Improved Overrun, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Track, Power Attack, Stealthy; CR: 18)

*Treasure*
Windigo giants do not collect treasure. Any precious items their victims may possess are scattered about the wilderness, they are only interested in their flesh.

Certain Northern tribes have developed specialized magical items that are of use against windigos, examples of which are listed below.

*Amulet of Windigo Warding*
The normal design of this amulet is carved from blackened or charred wood set with two pieces of mother-of-pearl. It is marked with swirling patterns that seem abstract at first, but close study reveals it’s a howling face with mother-of-pearl eyes. The wearer of a standard version of this amulet is warded against all forms of windigo as if they were under a _protection from evil_ spell (+2 deflection bonus to AC and a +2 resistance bonus on saves), cannot be infected by the Curse of the Windigo through eating human flesh offered by a windigo cursed (q.v.); receives a +10 competence bonus against the Eat Personality imitations of a windigo beast (q.v.) and cannot be touched by a windigo giant (q.v.) if the amulet beats the giant's Spell Resistance check.

There is a lesser form of this amulet which does not block a windigo cursed's Curse of the Windigo power from affecting the wearer.

There is also a greater form of the amulet which can banish a windigo giant by touching the amulet against the monster. Once a day, the wearer can speak a command word to invoke a power equal to a _dispel evil _spell, except said power only affects windigos.

Faint abjuration (lesser or standard) or Moderate abjuration (greater); CL 1st (lesser), 5th (standard) or 9th (greater); Craft Wondrous Item, _protection from evil_ (lesser), _remove curse _(lesser), _dispel evil _(greater); Price 1,000 gp (lesser), 6,000 gp (standard), 12,000 (greater).

*Totem of Windigo Warding*
An idol or altar usually carved from fire-blackened wood, a _totem of windigo warding_ must be set in place and activated with a brief ritual including a _consecrate_ spell before it starts functioning. Once activated, the totem's power will protect its surroundings from windigos until it is either moved or desecrated. If the power is deactivated, the _totem of windigo warding_ cannot be reactivated until 24 hours have passed.

When activated, any windigo giant within a 200 foot radius of the totem must make a Will saving throw (DC 16) each round or be forced to spend at least a single move action to move away from the totem that round. The windigo giant's Spell Resistance does not apply to this effect. In addition, the totem creates a 20 ft radius emanation with the combined powers of a _consecrated_ altar and a _magic circle against evil_ which only guards against windigos. (+6 sacred bonus on checks to turn a windigo giant, -2 penalty on attack rolls, damage rolls, and saves to all windigos entering the area, +2 deflection bonus to AC and +2 resistance bonus on saves for all non-windigos within the area)

Moderate abjuration; CL 7th; Craft Wondrous Item, _consecrate_, _magic circle against evil_; Price 25,000 gp

*Bone of Windigo Slaying*
Carved from the charred limb-bone of a victim of the dreaded Windigo Giant, this _+3 flaming dagger_ protects its wielder with cold resistance 20 and does double fire damage (+2d6) against any kind of windigo. Anyone holding the bone also gains a +4 enhancement bonus on saving throws and AC against a windigo's attacks, special attacks and special qualities, and cannot be touched by a windigo giant (q.v.) if the bone beats the giant's Spell Resistance check.

Strong evocation and abjuration; CL 12th, Craft Magic Arms and Armor, _resist energy,_ _protection from evil_ and _flame blade_, _flame strike_, or _fireball_; Price 65,000 gp


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## Cleon (Dec 25, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Windigo Beast*

*Windigo Beast*
Large Monstrous Humanoid (Evil, Spirit)[_see also creature of the cold_]
*Hit* *Dice:* 4d8+12 (30 hp)
*Initiative:* +2
*Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 20 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 18 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 16
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +4/+13
*Attack:* Claw +8 melee (1d6+5)
*Full* *Attack:* 2 claws +8 melee (1d6+5) and bite +3 melee (1d8+2)
*Space/Reach:* 10 ft./ 10 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Boreal powers (_see below_), devour, improved grab, terrifying gaze
*Special* *Qualities:* Anthropophagous healing, boreal powers (_see below_), cold resistance 20, creature of the cold, darkvision 60 ft., damage resistance 5/good, fast healing 4 (_equal to Hit Dice_), immortal beast, immunities, low-light vision, mania, eat personality, scent, spell resistance 14, undying
*Saves:* Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +5
*Abilities:* Str 21, Dex 14, Con 17, Int 7, Wis 12, Cha 16
*Skills:* Bluff +6*(_+16 with personality eater_), Climb +13, Hide +8*(_+16 against snow/ice_), Listen +8, Move Silently +8, Spot +8, Survival +5
*Feats:* Alertness, Power Attack, TrackB
*Environment:* Any cold (_often forests_)
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 5
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always Evil (usually neutral evil)
*Advancement:* 5-10 HD (Large)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_Loping towards you is a ten-foot tall humanoid creature covered in long white fur, a ghastly thing combining the worst features of a cadaverous maniac and a ravenous wolverine._

An average windigo beast is ten foot tall but weighs only 560 pounds, being lean and hungry of built.

Windigo beasts are both pitiable and horrible creatures, cursed with insatiable hunger and the scattered memories of humanoid lives they might once have lived. A windigo beast is practically immortal, being ageless and extraordinarily difficult to kill. Windigo beasts occasionally arise when a windigo cursed (q.v.) dies of old age or starvation. They have an ambiguous relationship with windigo giants, who possess the power to kill them. Either this gives the windigo beast a final release, or the beast's damned soul is absorbed into the monstrous giant. It is believed that an powerful enough windigo beast may metamorphose into a windigo giant, but there have been no confirmed reports of this.

Windigo beasts can speak, and most know Common. They can also speak the languages of those they’ve devoured, due to their power to Eat Personality.

*Combat*
Windigo beasts are cunning enough to use stealth and appropriate Boreal Powers (e.g. _invisibility, fly, gaseous form_) to sneak up to their enemies and ambush them. If they have eaten a humanoid personality they may use that being's voice to send _message _spells designed to lure victims into the woods.

Once they've entered combat, they focus on one opponent at a time, trying to stun them with their Terrifying Gaze before Grabbing and Devouring them. Once they've got their teeth in a victim, they will ignore other foes if their use of Anthropophagous Healing heals their wounds as fast as their enemies inflict them.

Despite their mediocre intelligence, windigo beasts are clever enough to use their Boreal Powers very effectively, and they do not stint on their use. They like to soften up prey from a distance by casting _control winds_, _chill metal_ or _icestorm_, while _fog cloud_ is an excellent way to sew confusion amongst a group of foes while the beast is within their midst.

*Anthropophagous Healing (Su)*
A windigo beast can heal itself by eating humanoid flesh. For every round it spends Devouring the flesh of any creature with the Humanoid type (See Devour, below, for how long a windigo beast takes to Devour a victim) it can heal either 2d8 plus twice its Hit Dice in hit points of damage, two levels of energy levels, 1d4 points of ability drain, 2d6 points of ability damage, regrow one-fifth of a body part or reattach a limb.

The Humanoid flesh devoured during Anthropophagous Healing may be in any condition – living or dead, fresh or putrefying, frozen solid or cooked, from one person or many. A windigo beast typically uses this power to heal itself during combat, often while its Devoured victim is still alive.

*Boreal Powers (Sp)*
Windigo beasts can call upon a range of spell-like abilities, which they use as a sorcerer with a caster level equal to their Hit Dice. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

All windigo beasts can use the spell-like ability _message_ at will, which they use to confuse and lure their opponents. In addition, they may have Boreal Powers of four types - Cold, Winds, Obscuration and Travel.

The windigo beast can use its Boreal Powers a number of times equal to its Hit Dice, in any combination. Thus, a 4 Hit Dice beast can use one spell-like ability four times or four different spell-like abilities a single time apiece. Some of the Boreal Powers' spell-like abilities are only available to windigo beasts with a certain number of Hit Dice, or require the beast to expend multiple uses of Boreal Powers.

A windigo beast may draw upon one type of Boreal Powers for every 2 Hit Dice it possesses, so a standard 4 Hit Dice windigo beast can use two types of Boreal Powers, a 6-7 Hit Dice beast has three types and a beast with 8 or more Hit Dice can access all four. A windigo beast randomly determines which Boreal Powers it has, with an equal chance for each type (e.g. roll 1d4 for the first type, then 1d3 to pick the second type from the unpicked three, then 1d2 for the third pick and whatever's left becomes the fourth and last).

A windigo beast which is energy drained can lose both casting level and access to Boreal Powers, thus a beast drained to 2-3 Hit Dice has only one type of Boreal Powers, while one with just 1 Hit Dice may only use its _message_ Boreal Power. If it regains these energy levels through any means, it will regain the same Boreal Powers which it lost, in the order it acquired them.

Here are the Boreal Powers spell-like abilities by type, with their Hit Dice & use requirements:

*At will –* _message_
*Cold –* _chill metal, freezing hands*, ice storm_ (7+ Hit Dice, costs two uses of Boreal Power)
*Winds –* _gust of wind, wind wall_, _control winds _(9+ HD, costs 3 uses of Boreal Power)
*Obscuration –* _fog cloud, invisibility, greater invisibility_ (7+ Hit Dice)
*Travel –* _fly, gaseous form_ (5+ Hit Dice), _wind walk_ (9+ HD, costs 2 uses of Boreal Power)

*The Boreal power _freezing hands_ functions like the spell _burning hands_ except it does cold damage instead of fire, the 1d4 damage per Hit Dice has a maximum of 10d4, and it is equivalent to a 2nd level spell.

*Creature of the Cold (Su)*
Spells and powers affect a windigo beast as if it possessed the Cold subtype, although it possessed neither immunity to cold nor vulnerability to fire.

*Devour (Ex)*
On a successful grapple check, a windigo beast can deal 2d8+8 hit points of damage to any opponent it is holding in a grapple. A windigo beast can rapidly devour the dead body of any Humanoid, eating a corpse of Tiny size or less as a free action, a Small corpse as a full-round action, a Medium corpse in a minute and a Large corpse in ten minutes. The appetite of a windigo beast is not insatiably; they can eat up to one large corpse, 4 medium corpses, 16 Small corpses, 64 Tiny corpses or 256 Fine or smaller corpses per day. A windigo beast gains one Hit Dice if it eats its full of humanoid victims in one sitting.

If the windigo beast has any injuries, it will use Anthropophagous Healing to heal them while Devouring.

*Eat Personality (Su)*
A windigo beast can acquire the voice, languages and some of the knowledge and personality traits of a Humanoid whose brain or heart it Devours, but none of their mental attributes or skills. This allows the beast to give an uncanny imitation of its most recent victim's voice, giving it a +10 competence bonus to Bluff checks when calling out to its next prospective victim. The windigo beast still looks like a huge shaggy wolf-ghoul, so must hide or make a very challenging Bluff check. ("Honestly, I was polymorphed by a crazy wizard! Just come closer and you'll know it's me.")

The eaten personality fades away after a month or so. An eaten personality has an "ego score" equaling the sum of the victim's mental abilities (Int, Wis & Cha) which falls by one per day, until the personality disappears completely when its ego score reaches zero. If the windigo beast eats the heart or brain of a Humanoid with a higher ego score, it acquires that personality instead.

The eaten personality is merely an imitation, not the actual soul of the deceased. A victim of Eat Personality can be brought back from the dead normally via _resurrection_ or similar means, although _raise dead_ will not work because the body will be missing its brain or heart.

[_Windigo beasts have been known to get their own identity confused with a strong-willed person they have eaten, they may even think they are that individual. This does nothing to suppress their predatory behaviour. On rare occasions, beasts who sincerely believed they'd been polymorphed sought out their victim's relatives for help, and were horrified when they got hungry and Devoured people they thought were their own kin. If you wish to include this possibility in your game, whenever a windigo beast eats a Humanoid with an ego score higher than its own (average 35), it must make a Will save against a DC of 10 plus the difference in ego scores or suffer ego-confusion, becoming ego-identification if the save was failed by 20 or more._]

*Fast Healing (Ex)*
Windigo beasts possess Fast Healing equal to their Hit Dice. A windigo beast's fast healing does not heal injuries inflicted by fire or enchanted weapons made of bone or horn. The windigo's fast healing can re-attach a severed limb with a full round action.

*Immortal Beast (Su)*
A windigo beast can only be killed permanently by a weapon made of enchanted bone or horn, a windigo's Devour attack or any method of death that prevents the use of the _resurrection_ spell, such as a _sphere of annihilation_. If killed by any other means, the windigo beast will return to life between a minute and an hour later – roll 1d6×1d10 to determine the delay in minutes – as if it had received a _raise dead_ spell, except that the windigo beast can recover the lost energy level through Anthropophagous Healing. If the windigo beast's corpse is damaged past the point _raise dead_ is effective, it rises from the place it was slain after a 24 hours delay or the next sunset, whichever is latest, as if it had received a _resurrection_ spell, except that the windigo can recover the lost energy level through Anthropophagous Healing.

*Immunities (Ex)*
A windigo beast possesses immunity to aging, starvation, suffocation, thirst, disease, poison, sleep effects, polymorph, paralysis and stunning.

*Improved Grab (Ex)*
A windigo must hit with a claw attack to use this ability. 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 Devour.
*
Mania (Ex)*
A windigo beast is immune to mind-affecting powers, including enchantment magic. Any mind-reading ability used upon a windigo will only read an insatiable lust for human flesh.

*Spell Resistance (Su)*
A windigo beast possesses spell resistance equal to 10 plus its Hit Dice.

*Terrifying Gaze (Su)*
A windigo beast can fill opponents with freezing terror simply by glaring at them. This is similar to a 30 ft range gaze attack, except that the windigo must use a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not as strongly affected. The windigo beast selects one victim to focus on, who must make a Will save against DC15 to resist the Terrifying Gaze's effects. If the victim has fewer Hit Dice than the windigo then they are *stunned* for 1d4 round then *panicked* for 1d4 rounds if they fail the save, or *shaken* for 2d4 rounds if they make the save, a victim possessing more Hit Dice than the windigo who fails the save is *frightened* for 2d4 rounds. Any other creatures within the 30 ft gaze attack who have fewer Hit Dice than the windigo beast must also make Will saving throws or be *frightened* for 2d4 rounds, if they possess 4 or fewer Hit Dice, or *shaken* for 2d4 rounds, if they possess 5 or more Hit Dice.

The save DC is Charisma-based.

 *Skills*
A windigo beast has a +4 racial bonus to Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Spot and Survival checks. Its white coat gives it a +8 competence bonus to Hide checks in environments covered in snow, ice or cloud. Windigo beasts have a +8 racial bonus on Climb checks and can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 15* - Let me tell you of the windigo. They're shaggy white-furred creatures half again as tall as a man, with the build of famine victims and the manners of rabid wolves. Their wounds heal up before your eyes, unless you burn them with fire, and they love nothing save the taste of human flesh.
*DC 20* - I have fought the windigo. The worse thing about them was not their terrifying gaze, or watching them heal themselves by eating your friends alive, but that they cannot die. Even if you burn a windigo to ashes, it will return to life. My wife's people told me of a place in the mountains called the pit of the windigos, into which they cast the bodies of any windigo they kill. That howling you hear up there ain't always the wind, sometimes it’s the windigos wandering down in that pit, screaming for human flesh. 
*DC 25* - Windigos have magical powers. When they eat a body, they can steal the voice and memories of that person as well as healing up any ailment they suffer. They then try to lure out their victim's friends by calling out to them with that person's voice. As well as this, they have all manner of magical gifts drawn from the arctic powers – casting freezing cold, sending messages on the wind, invisibility, flying, calling up storms, I've heard they can do all kinds of things.


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## Cleon (Dec 25, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Windigo Cursed*

*Windigo Cursed*
The windigo cursed appear like ordinary members of the race they belonged to before becoming monsters, although the may reveal hints of their murderous, predatory personalities.

Windigo cursed retain any languages the knew before becoming cursed.

Windigo cursed lust to feed on the flesh of their own species, or the species they were before they became cursed. They can survive without difficulty on other foods, but these will not satisfy their craving. Windigo cursed rarely eat each other, being Monstrous Humanoids they derive little benefit from eating their own kind.

Although most Windigo cursed are antisocial loners, some have a desire for companionship and either live with folk too depraved to care about their cannibalism, or keep this proclivities secret.

Windigo cursed can arise spontaneously when evil folk turn to cannibalism and murder, but most are created by these monsters spreading their curse to other humanoids – see Curse of the Windigo under Special Qualities. A single charismatic windigo cursed may convert entire villages into its own kind.

Windigos cursed can interbreed normally with their base creature or another windigo cursed, any resulting offspring are normal Humanoids who are usually quickly infected with the curse or eaten.

 *Creating a Windigo Cursed*
Windigo cursed is an acquired template that can be added to any Humanoid creature from Small to Large size (referred to hereafter as the base creature) which does not possess the Good, Fire or Earth subtypes.

*Size and Type*
The base creature's size is unchanged, but its type changes to Monstrous Humanoid with the Evil subtype. They retain any racial subtype they had as a Humanoid.

*Hit Dice*
The windigo cursed retains any class levels it possesses, together with their attendant base attack bonus, saves and skill ranks. If the windigo possesses levels in a class it is barred from on grounds of its new evil alignment, such as paladin, its level in that class can be converted into an evil-aligned substitute class, i.e. blackguard.

In addition, the windigo cursed gains a number of Monstrous Humanoid hit dice depending on its size - a Small windigo cursed gains one such Hit Dice, a Medium windigo cursed gains two Monstrous Humanoid Hit Dice while a Large windigo cursed gains four. These Hit dice increase the windigo cursed's attack bonus, saves and skill ranks.

*Speed*
If the base creature has a land speed lower than 40 ft. add 10 ft to its land speed, with a maximum of 40 ft.

*Armour Class*
The base creature's natural armour bonus improves by +2.

*Attacks*
The windigo cursed retains all the attacks of the base creature. It does not gain any additional attack forms, although its base attack bonus will be increased by its Monstrous Humanoid hit dice.

*Special Abilities*
A windigo cursed retains all the special abilities of the base creature, except for class features which were changed by any substitution of class-levels. In addition, it gains a number of additional abilities depending on its Hit Dice, according to the following table:

*Hit Dice Special Qualities*
2-3 HD -       Cannibalistic healing, curse of the windigo, mania, taint of evil [_unless Small_]
4-5 HD -        Endure elements, frightful gaze, immunities
6-7 HD -        Cold resistance 5, fast healing 1, hard to kill
8-9 HD -        Cold resistance 10, fast healing 3, wind step (3/day)
10+ HD -       Defy death, fast healing 5, wind step (5/day)

*Special Attacks*
A windigo cursed retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains the Frightful Gaze attack, described below.*

Frightful Gaze (Su)*
A windigo cursed with 4 or more Hit Dice can fill its enemies' minds with freezing terror merely by glaring at them. This is similar to a gaze attack with a 30 ft range, except that the windigo must use a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not as strongly affected. The windigo cursed selects one victim to focus on, who must make a Will save to resist the Frightful Gaze's effect. If the victim fails the save and has 4 or fewer Hit Dice they are *stunned* for 1d4 round then *panicked* for 1d4 rounds, if the victim possesses 5 or more Hit Dice they are merely *frightened* for 2d4 rounds. A victim who makes the save, but has fewer Hit Dice than the windigo, is *shaken* for 2d4 rounds. Any other creatures within the 30 ft gaze attack who have fewer Hit Dice than the windigo cursed must also make Will saving throws or be *frightened* for 2d4 rounds, if they possess 2 or fewer Hit Dice, or *shaken* for 2d4 rounds, if they possess 3 or more Hit Dice.

The Frightful Gaze save has a DC of 10 + ½ windigo cursed’s Hit Dice + windigo cursed’s Cha modifier.*Special Qualities

Cannibalistic Healing (Su)*
Thrice per day, a windigo cursed can heal itself by eating the flesh of a creature of its base creature's racial subtype or subtypes. For full use of this power, the windigo cursed needs to spend at least two rounds eating an ounce or more of flesh per 25 pounds of the windigo's bodyweight - so a 180 lb windigo cursed half-elf would need to eat eight ounces of elven or human flesh, for example. If short of flesh or pressed for time, they can heal half the indicated amount as a standard action by eating any lesser quantity of flesh, even as little as a sip of blood. (e.g. heal 1 Con instead of 2, or a 50% chance of success with "all or nothing" healing.)

The flesh need not be fresh or raw, but must be edible. Windigo cursed often preserve the meat of their victims by various means (freezing, pickling, smoking etc) to create a larder or cannibalism.

A windigo cursed can use Cannibalistic Healing even when stunned or paralysed, although it must be fed by another.

Cannibalistic healing can do any of the following:

● Cure 1d8 hit points of damage, plus 1 hit point per Hit Dice of the windigo cursed.
● Remove a poison or disease, but not any damage caused by the condition.
● Remove stun or paralysis. (a windigo cursed with 4+ HD is immune to these conditions.)
● Restore 1d4 points of ability damage.
● Restore 1 point of ability drain.
● Restore one drained energy level.
● Regrow body parts - may require multiple Cannibalistic Healings, a single use is enough to regrow approximately one tenth of a limb (e.g. a hand). The windigo must eat a flesh equal to the regrown body mass.

A basic windigo cursed can pick one of the above options, a windigo cursed with 7 or more Hit Dice can pick two, which may be the same (e.g. remove poison plus restore 1d4 ability damage *or* cure 2d8 plus 2×HD hit points), while a windigo cursed with 10 or more Hit Dice has three picks.

Cannibalistic Healing can not cure damage caused by enchanted weapons made of bone or horn, although a windigo cursed can heal such injuries through natural healing or other forms of magic.

*Curse of the Windigo (Su)*
Any person who eats the flesh of a humanoid killed by a windigo runs the risk of contracting the Curse of the Windigo. If they ate the flesh unknowingly, through ignorance or trickery, they are entitled to a Will save against a DC 15 (+1 per additional meal that year) to avoid contracting the curse. Anyone who eats a windigo's victim knowing what it is automatically receives the curse. The new victim will become a windigo cursed within a matter of days – they suffer 1d4 points of Wisdom drain per day, and once their wisdom is reduced to zero they become a windigo cursed with a fully restored Wisdom score. During this period a _remove curse_ will abolish the Curse of the Windigo.

Once the Curse has transformed the victim into a windigo it is much harder to remove, first the _remove curse_ must make a level check beating a DC of 15 plus the windigo cursed's Challenge Rating. This removes all of the windigo cursed template's traits except for Cannibalistic Healing, Taint of Evil and the windigo cursed's racial skill bonuses and bonus Track feat. To remove these last traits and restore the victim to the Humanoid type they must receive an _atonement_ spell with suitable penance. If the curse victim uses its Cannibalistic Healing power before it is removed through _atonement_ the curse will completely re-establish itself and the victim regains all of the traits of a windigo cursed.

A _miracle_ or _wish_ spell will completely restore a windigo cursed back to its base creature.

If a windigo cursed dies from starvation or old age, a windigo beast (q.v) may rise from the remains 24 hours later or after the next sunset, whichever is latter. Make a level check (1d20 + Hit Dice) against DC 20. If successful, a windigo beast is spawned. Destroying the corpse of the windigo cursed does not prevent this.
*
Darkvision (Ex)*
All windigo cursed gain darkvision out to 60 feet.

*Defy Death (Su)*
A windigo cursed with 10 or more Hit Dice can return to life after being slain by violence, unless it was killed by an enchanted weapon made of bone or horn. This functions as if a _raise dead_ spell was cast on the windigo cursed's body 2d4 hours after it was killed, except that the windigo cursed can recover the lost energy level through Cannibalistic Healing. Like _raise dead_, the windigo's body must be reasonably intact, so Defy Death does not function if their corpse is decapitated, heartless or burnt to ashes.

*Endure Elements (Ex)*
A windigo cursed with 4 or more Hit Dice suffers no harm from being in hot or cold environments. It can exist comfortably in temperatures between -50 and 140 degrees Fahrenheit without having to make Fortitude saves. This is similar to the spell _endure elements_, except the windigo's equipment is not protected.

*Fast Healing (Ex)*
A windigo cursed with 4 or more Hit Dice possesses Fast Healing. This fast healing does not heal injuries inflicted by acid, fire, divine energy or enchanted weapons made of bone or horn.

*Hard to Kill (Ex)*
A windigo cursed with 6 or more Hit Dice possesses a remarkable tenacity to life. If they take damage sufficient to kill them they are entitled to a level check (1d20 + Hit Dice) against DC 13 to avoid dying, merely masquerading as a corpse instead. Assuming the level check was successful, the windigo _feigns death_ until their Fast Healing brings them to a positive hit point score. A _deathwatch_ spell can determine whether a windigo cursed has been truly killed, as can a DC 20 Heal skill check.

Hard to Kill does not function if the windigo has received a fatal level of damage from attacks that its Fast Healing can not cure – i.e. its hit points plus 10 in damage from acid, fire, divine energy or enchanted weapons made of bone or horn.

*Immunities (Ex)*A windigo cursed with 4 or more Hit Dice possesses immunity to polymorph, paralysis and stunning.

*Mania (Ex)*A windigo cursed is immune to mind-affecting powers, including enchantment magic. Any mind-reading ability used upon a windigo will only read an insatiable lust for human flesh.

*Taint of Evil (Ex)*
Although a windigo cursed appears no different from an ordinary member of its base creature, there is a hint of malevolence about it that may repel those who encounter it. Any living thing that encounters a windigo cursed is entitled to make a Sense Motive check against the windigo's Bluff check, or a Wisdom check against a DC 20, with a +8 bonus on the Wisdom check if the creature possesses the Scent special quality. Roll whichever is more likely to succeed. If the check is made, the creature instinctively senses the unnatural malice of windigo cursed and would likely want nothing to do with them.

Windigo cursed of Small size do not bear the Taint of Evil.

Windigo cursed also register as Evil to _detect evil_ spells and similar abilities, due to their Evil subtype.

*Wind Step (Su)*
A windigo cursed with 8 or more Hit Dice can dissolve into vapour and reform somewhere else as a full-round action. A windigo cursed cannot disappear or reappear using Wind Step anywhere a non-windigo is observing it, nor can it Wind Step while carrying such a creature, although they can duck out of sight, or appear behind a victim. During a Wind Step, the windigo moves invisibly and in gaseous form to a point up to 200 feet away, either moving across the ground or flying with good manoeuvrability. If someone is observing where the windigo chooses to end a Wind Step, it must reform at the last point on its path that is out of sight of any observers.

The windigo cursed may Wind Step with any objects it can move, but if it is carrying more than a Light load this reduces the distance and aerial manoeuvrability it travels – 140 feet and average manoeuvrability for a Medium load, 100 feet and poor manoeuvrability for a Heavy load, and 40 feet and clumsy manoeuvrability for a Dragged load.

A windigo cursed can expend two uses of Wind Step to travel great distances, wind stepping 200 feet a round for up to ten minutes per Hit Dice – e.g. it can travel up to 20,000 feet per Hit Dice. Such long-distance Wind Steps cannot be performed if the windigo is carrying more than a Light load.

Wind Step is not hindered by anti-teleportation effects. A wind step can not be performed if the windigo is paralysed or otherwise incapable of movement, although they can use the power to escape from physical restraints such as manacles by making an Escape Artist check with a +20 competence bonus.

*Abilities*
Increase from the base creature as follows: +6 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, +2 Charisma. If the base creature is Small-size the Charisma increase is +4 instead.

*Skills*
Windigo cursed have a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently, Hide, Listen, Spot, Survival, Bluff, Sense Motive and Search checks. A windigo cursed of Small size has a higher +8 racial bonus to Bluff, Hide and Move Silently checks instead.

Windigo cursed keep the skill points of their base creature, to which are added the skill points from the template's additional Monstrous Humanoid Hit Dice. These skill points are distributed as evenly as possible among the eight racial bonus skills listed in the previous paragraph, with the uneven points going towards the first skills listed. E.g. a Medium-sized windigo cursed with Int 17 would gain ten skill points from its two Monstrous Humanoid Hit Dice, thus gaining two skill points each in Move Silently and Hide and one skill point in Listen, Spot, Survival, Bluff, Sense Motive and Search.

*Feats*
Windigo cursed gain Track as a bonus feat.

*Environment*
Windigo cursed can be found anywhere Humanoid races live, but have a weird attraction towards cold, northern climes. They are slightly more common in Cold Forest terrain, because this is where they are more likely to find the humanoids they prey upon.

 *Organization*
Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or troupe (2-12)

*Challenge Rating*
Same as the base creature +2 for Small or Medium-sized windigo cursed, +3 for Large-sized windigo cursed.

*Treasure*
Standard

 *Alignment*
Always evil (any)

The alignment of the base creature changes to evil, retaining any lawful or chaotic component it may possess.

 *Advancement*
By character class.

 *Level Adjustment*
Same as the base creature +3.

 *Lore*
*DC 15* - A windigo is what them northern tribes call a mad cannibal. The winters up there is so terrible, some folks get trapped in the snow and turn to killing and eating each other. Some folks just go cabin-crazy as well, I've heard of a trapper who killed and smoked his family even though he had plenty of food in his storerooms. Of course there's legends about them being possessed by devils and such instead of plain crazy, there were a few villages which formed a windigo cult, saying it gave them supernatural powers in battle.
*DC 20* - Don't you listen to them folks saying windigos is just ordinary lunacy. It's a unholy curse, like those which make werewolves and ghouls. A windigo may look as human you and me, but when you meet one you can just feel the evil pouring from 'em like the heat from a fire. If you meet its eye, your limbs may get so frozen in terror you wouldn't be able to stop them slittin' yer throat. When a windigo eats the bodies of other folks, they can heal up their wounds or even regrow a leg like a frog.
*DC 25* - I knew some folks who were plagued by a windigo once. They caught her and chained her up in the jail for the sheriff, but she slipped through leg-irons, manacles and two barred doors like a chilly breeze and that very night she was seen eating a pedlar thirty miles away. They shot her full of arrows and buried her, but she was up and killing again the next day. Finally, Black Pete the bounty hunter slew her and cut out her heart, and she never bothered them again. So, if you ever meet a windigo, you'd better chop them into pieces or burn them, to be sure they don't spring back to life.

*Sample Windigo Cursed
*
Bloodthirsty Suzie
*Windigo Cursed, 3rd level Rogue/3rd level Ranger*
Medium Monstrous Humanoid (Evil, Human)
*Hit* *Dice:* 2d8+3d6+3d8+16 (49 hp)
*Initiative:* +3
*Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares)
*Armor* *Class:* 20 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, +5 _+1 chain shirt_), touch 13, flat-footed 17 [_Trap Sense gives +1 dodge versus traps for AC 21, touch 14, flat-footed 17_]
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +7/+9
*Attack:* Longsword +10 melee (1d8+2/19-20) or kukri +9 melee (1d4+2/18-20) or _+1 composite longbow_ (+2 Str bonus) +11 ranged (1d8+3/×3)
*Full* *Attack:* Longsword +10/+5 melee (1d8+2/19-20) or kukri +9/+4 melee (1d4+2/18-20) or longsword +8/+3 melee (1d8+2/19-20) *and* kukri +7/+2 melee (1d4+1/18-20)[_with Improved Two-Weapon Fighting_] or _+1 composite longbow_ (+2 Str bonus) +11/+6 ranged (1d8+3/×3)[_ranged +9/+9/+4 with Rapid Fire_]
[_+2 weapon damage versus humans due to favoured enemy_]
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* combat style (archery), favoured enemy (human), frightful gaze, sneak attack +2d6
*Special* *Qualities:* Cannibalistic healing, cold resistance 10, darkvision 60 ft., curse of the windigo, endure elements, evasion, fast healing 3, hard to kill, immunities [_paralysis, polymorph, stun_], mania [_immune to mind-affecting & mind-reading_], taint of evil, trapfinding, trap sense +1, wild empathy, wind step [_3/day_]
*Saves:* Fort +6, Ref +12 [_+13 versus traps_], Will +6
*Abilities:* Str 14, Dex 17, Con 14, Int 12, Wis 12, Cha 12
*Skills:* Bluff +14*, Craft (trapmaking) +10, Disable Device +7, Escape Artist +5† [_+25_†_ to wind-step out of restraints_], Hide +15†, Listen +14*, Move Silently +15†, Search +11, Sense Motive +11*, Spot +14*, Survival +11*
[_All skills marked * are +2 versus humans due to Suzie's favoured enemy special ability, skills marked † include a -1 armour check penalty from the _+1 chainshirt]
*Feats:* EnduranceB, Improved Two-Weapon Fighting, Rapid ShotB(combat style), TrackB, Two-Weapon Fighting, Weapon Focus (Longsword)
*Environment:* Any land
*Organization:* Solitary, pair, gang (3-5), or troupe (2-12)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 8
*Treasure:* Standard (including _+1 chainshirt_, _+1 composite longbow_, _oil of magic weapon_, 2 smokesticks and thunderstone plus other equipment – see possessions, below)
*Alignment:* Chaotic Evil
*Advancement:* By character class
*Level* *Adjustment:* +3

Bloodthirsty Suzie is 5'3" tall and weighs 120 pounds.

Suzie clanCarroc was a shy hunter until she accepted a piece of pemmican from a stranger who turned out to be a windigo cursed. Now she's a notoriously violent mercenary, bounty hunter and adventurer, with an unlucky reputation for losing partners – many of whom end up in her trail rations.

Despite being a cannibal psychopath, Suzie is often friendly towards adventuring types, especially if they want to go hunting bandits or other law breakers. If Suzie travels with the player characters on a mission she'll be keen to collect fleshy trophies from any foes they slay, maybe sneaking off to cut off a few steaks and stash them in a sack within her backpack, to pull out and eat later during any moments of privacy she can contrive.

Like most windigo cursed, Suzie will eat human flesh in preference to any other food so, once her supply of special rations runs out, she would rather murder a colleague or passer-by than eat the mundane rations she carries. If she has an ample supply of her "special rations" she will share some with any companions she takes a liking to, hoping to turn them into permanent friends.

*Combat*
Bloodthirsty Suzie is an experienced fighter who loves to get in the thick of melee, but is wise enough to use hit-and-run tactics or snipe with her longbow when the situation calls for it. She's most lethal when using two-weapon sneak attacks, so will try to get in flanking positions or surprise her foe, perhaps by using Wind Step to appear behind them.

If she's up against opponents who know of her monstrous nature, or who she intends to kill without survivors, she may just walk towards them and unleash a Frightful Gaze before closing to melee. If she knows she's about to face a major fight she'll unction her longsword with her _oil of magic weapon_. Being an expert trapsmith, she may augment her ambushes with lethal or nonlethal devices. A favourite ploy is setting up a thunderstone to explode while she and her allies charge into combat.

Suzie always keeps a smokestick handy, so she can create a fog cloud which will hide her from the view of opponents and thus escape with a Wind Step. She knows that her Hard to Kill power will not reliably save her life, so would rather flee as heal herself than risk feigned or actual death.

*Cannibalistic Healing (Su)*
Three times per day Bloodthirsty Suzie can heal herself by eating human flesh, with the following options: Cure 1d8+8 hit points of damage; Remove a poison or disease (but not any damage caused by the condition); Restore 1d4 points of ability damage; Restore 1 point of ability drain or Restore one drained energy level. Suzie can spend a standard action and heal one pick from the previous list, or spend two rounds while eating five or more ounces of flesh to heal two picks, which may be same. Cannibalistic Healing can not cure damage caused by enchanted weapons made of bone or horn.

*Curse of the Windigo (Su)*
Bloodthirsty Suzie can transform other Humanoids into windigo cursed by feeding them the flesh of those she's killed. See the windigo cursed template for details.

*Evasion (Ex)*
If Bloodthirsty Suzie makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. Evasion does not work if she is helpless or wearing medium armour or heavier.

*Fast Healing (Ex)*
Bloodthirsty Suzie's fast healing does not heal injuries inflicted by acid, fire, divine energy or enchanted weapons made of bone or horn.

*Favoured Enemy (Ex)*
Bloodthirsty Suzie gains a +2 bonus on Bluff, Listen, Sense Motive, Spot, and Survival checks when using these skills against creatures of the Humanoid (human) type. Likewise, she gets a +2 bonus on weapon damage rolls against such creatures.

*Frightful Gaze (Su)*
By spending a standard action, Bloodthirsty Suzie can make a 30 ft range gaze attack. A single victim she focuses on must make a Will save against DC 15 or be stunned for 1d4 round then panicked for 1d4 rounds, if they have 4 or fewer Hit Dice, or  frightened for 2d4 rounds if they have 5 or more Hit Dice. If the focal victim makes the save but has fewer than 8 Hit Dice they are shaken for 2d4 rounds. All other creatures within the gaze attack who have fewer than 8 Hit Dice must also make Will saving throws or be frightened for 2d4 rounds, if they possess 2 or fewer Hit Dice, or shaken for 2d4 rounds, if they possess 3 or more Hit Dice. The save DC is Charisma-based.

*Hard To Kill (Ex)*
If Bloodthirst Suzie takes damage sufficient to kill her she is entitled to a level check (1d20+8) against DC 13 to avoid dying, merely masquerading as a corpse instead. She will _feigns death_ until her Fast Healing brings them to a positive hit point score. A _deathwatch_ spell can determine whether a windigo cursed has been truly killed, as can a DC 20 Heal skill check.

Hard to Kill will not function if Suzie received a fatal level of damage from attacks a windigo cursed's Fast Healing can not cure – i.e. she's permanently dead if she has 59 or more hit points of damage from acid, fire, divine energy or enchanted weapons made of bone or horn.

*Mania (Ex)*
A windigo cursed is immune to mind-affecting powers, including enchantment magic. Any mind-reading ability used upon Bloodthirsty Suzie will only read an insatiable lust for human flesh.

*Taint of Evil (Ex)*
Anyone encountering Bloodthirsty Suzie is entitled to make a Sense Motive check against her Bluff check, or a Wisdom check against a DC 20 (+8 if they possess the Scent ability) if the chance of success is better. Those making this check instinctively know Suzie is some form of psychopath or monster.

*Trap Sense (Ex)*
Suzie possesses an intuitive sense that alerts her to danger from traps, giving her a +1 bonus on Reflex saves made to avoid traps and a +1 dodge bonus to AC against attacks made by traps.

*Wild Empathy (Ex)*
Bloodthirsty Suzie can improve the attitude of an animal. This ability functions just like a Diplomacy check to improve the attitude of a person. She rolls 1d20+4 to determine the wild empathy check result. The typical domestic animal has a starting attitude of indifferent, while wild animals are usually unfriendly. If the animal senses her Taint of Evil (see above) it will likely have an attitude one step worse, to Hostile or Unfriendly. The wild empathy check is Charisma-based.

*Wind Step (Su)*
As a full round action, Bloodthirsty Suzie can move 200 feet in invisible, gaseous form by walking or flying with good manoeuvrability, travelling between any two points which are not being observed by a non-windigo. A medium load (59-116 lbs) reduces the movement to 140 feet and average manoeuvrability, 100 feet and poor manoeuvrability for a Heavy load (117-175 lbs), and 40 feet and clumsy manoeuvrability for a Dragged load (up to 875 lbs). She can wind step up to 160,000 feet at a speed of 200 feet per round by spending two uses of Wind Step, provided she is carrying no more than a Light load.

Wind Step is not hindered by anti-teleportation effects. A wind step can not be performed if Suzie is paralysed or otherwise incapable of movement, although she can use the power to escape from physical restraints such as manacles by making an Escape Artist check with a +20 competence bonus.

*Possessions*
Bloodthirsty suzie has standard treasure for her Challenge Rating (3400 gp), mostly in the form of equipment.

*Combat/adventuring gear:* _+1 composite longbow_ (+2 Str bonus) with 40 arrows, _+1 chainshirt_, kukri, longsword, vial of _oil of magic weapon_, masterwork thieves tools, 2 smokesticks, thunderstone and masterwork manacles.
*Personal equipment:* traveller's outfit, a whistle in her right breast pocket, flint and steel and 2 sewing needles in her left breast pocket, and a beltpouch containing 2 sacks, a whetstone, 25 ounces of dried human flesh [_enough for Suzie to use Cannibalistic Healing five times_] plus 6pp, 13gp, 14 sp and 9cp.

The above equipment is worth 3,374.5 gold pieces and weighs 56 pounds, within the 58lb Light load limit of Suzie's 14 Strength. In addition, she has a backpack with the following:

*Backpack:* backpack, silk rope, winter blanket, waterskin, 12 days trail rations and 5 pounds of dried human flesh [_enough for Suzie to use Cannibalistic Healing sixteen times]_

With the backpack, the total value rises to 3,400 gold pieces and 87 pounds weight, a Medium load, which reduces her movement to 30 ft.. Note that Suzie normally carries enough "special rations" to last her a week.

On occasions when Suzie wishes to carry her silk rope and retain a Light load, she usually drops either half her arrows or her belt pouch and its contents, after moving 2 portions of dried flesh into her pockets.


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## Cleon (Dec 25, 2008)

I guess I'd better give you a few words of explanation about these windigos. When I wrote up the Snow Wasset entry, I came up with the idea of them porpoising through the snow, leaving a trail that resembles giant footprints, and that led to the idea that certain eponymous D&D sages may claim this is the source of the windigo legend.

Naturally, I could not let this pass without statting up said invisible flying flesh-eating giants, but that got me thinking. There are all kinds of versions of these monsters in legend and popular media, many contradictory. So, rather than trying to shoe-horn as many of these as I could fit into one kind of windigo, I decided to create a family of monsters to cover most of the bases.

The Windigo Cursed is the closest in concept to the traditional windigo, a monster that looks human but is really a horrible cannibal. Most of its abilities were cribbed of the film _*Ravenous*_, plus assorted serial killer B-movie clichés (e.g. the way Jason Voorhes moves from one place to another in an impossible fashion when nobody can see them, aka the "off screen teleport", and how everyone runs away when they see one except for the designated victim plus, of course, how you can apparently kill one and it just gets up again)

The Windigo Beast covers the "hairy monster" form of the Windigo. It owes a lot of its concept to the wendigo (sic) in the Hellboy comics, with the Boreal Powers are cribbed from folklore about windigos.

As for the Windigo Giant, I would hope that's pretty obvious in its inspiration - it's basically a less-powerful version of Call of Cthulhu's Ithaqua The Wind Walker, and owes quite a lot to *Algernon Blackwood's* The Wendigo.

I'm pretty happy with the stats, although I'm a bit worried that the Wendigo Giant's Challenge Rating is a bit too low. It has a Con Drain attack and an awful lot on immunities. Still, it's no tougher than some fiends about that CR, and is quite vulnerable to fire attacks, which would be an obvious line of attack by adventurers who encounter one.


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## freyar (Dec 25, 2008)

That's a lot of windigos!  Actually, what with a Pathfinder version, a 3.X version in one of the MMs I think, and various others throughout D&D history that Echohawk's noticed, windigos/wendigos are really popular.  For good reason, too.


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## Cleon (Dec 25, 2008)

freyar said:


> That's a lot of windigos!  Actually, what with a Pathfinder version, a 3.X version in one of the MMs I think, and various others throughout D&D history that Echohawk's noticed, windigos/wendigos are really popular.  For good reason, too.




Ta Freyar, I haven't seen any of the versions you've mentioned, which of my three windigos are they closest to? The Pathfinder wendigo is probably in my RPG collection somewhere and I just haven't read it yet.

As a result, the three versions I've posted aren't based on any other D&D windigo. The Windigo Beast used an Ogre/Ogre Magi as the foundation, while I copied the SRD template for the Vampire to start work on the Windigo Cursed. The Windigo Giant was built more or less completely from scratch.

Anyhows, I'm near to getting stuck for ideas as to what to do next, I've statted up all the Lumberjack Critters that really grabbed my imagination (e.g. which looked amusing and well suited for inflicting a horrible fate upon Player Characters). I've got the outline for one more creature that is mentioned many times in Lumberjack tales as being a particular plague, although it's one you may not expect!

Apart from that, are there any particular critters anyone out there would care to see my stab at statting up - Billdads? Hoop Snakes? Splinter Cats? There are still quite a few dangerous critters left.


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## GrayLinnorm (Dec 25, 2008)

How about the rumtifusel (or rumpifusel)?


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## Cleon (Dec 26, 2008)

GrayLinnorm said:


> How about the rumtifusel (or rumpifusel)?




Well, it's not very high on my list,  "fur coat that strangles those who put it on" is about all you need to know about that beastie, I see it more of a living trap / environmental hazard like green slime.

That means a rumtifusel is even more of a one-trick pony than most Lumberjack Critters, although at least they're a threat, unlike something like a fur-bearing trout which I see having little role in a campaign except a curiosity that may become a background detail or adventure seed: Bring home a live fur-bearing trout for the Queen!, catch a bunch of them to start a trout farm to make cheap fur etc.

Hmm, that's an idea. A rumtifusel farm would be a real easy way to make cheap fur coats, just skin them when they're the size you want. You don't even need to make any tailoring roles. Of course, you'd need to feed them on something other than people and make pretty sure they're dead... unless it's part of an evil scheme, a necromancer uses preservation magic to sell hundreds of exquisite fur coats to the army at a ridiculously cheap price, but they're really _*zombie rumtifusels*_, ready to wipe out the country's defense force on command when the Northern invasion starts!

How about a similar monster, where the "fur coat" is an dangerous symbiote that turned its wearer into a savage monster if worn too long, a pretty obvious spin on those shapeshifting legends of people turning into savage beasts by wearing their skins.

EDIT: Looks like I'm talking myself into giving it a shot.

EDITED EDIT: Now I'm well on my way through statting up the Rumtifusil. Might even be finished today.

RE-EDITED EDITED EDIT: Here's ya go, the Rumtifusil. That must be the fastest I've ever written up a beastie for 3rd edition.


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## Cleon (Dec 26, 2008)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Rumtifusil*

*Rumtifusil (CR 2)*
A rumtifusil is a flat, thin-bodied creature that has a nigh perfect resemblance to a high-quality, hooded fur coat. It even includes imitations of stitching, pockets and wooden buttons or toggles. Rumtifusils live in Cold forests, where they spend most of their lives hanging from low tree branches waiting for prey to wander by. Their favourite prey are folk looking for a nice new fur coat. Anyone foolish enough to put on a rumtifusil will find its hood whips over their face while the whole "fur coat" contracts in a lethal embrace. A rumtifusil is cold-blooded and expends very little energy, so can easily go for years between meals.

It requires a DC30 Search check to notice that a stationary rumtifusil is not the fur coat it appears to be. They are immune to pain effects, so pinching or cutting a rumtifusil does not force it to reveal its nature, although closely examining the cut edge of a rumtifusil gives a +10 circumstance bonus on realizing it's a living creature. The most reliable means of exposing one is holding a flame close to it, since a rumtifusil will instinctively flinch away from the threat of fire. The flame need not actually burn the rumtifusil, so a careful explorer can test any fur coat they find without damaging it. These creatures will also flinch away from any chemical or energy attack, such as Acid or Electricity. It has Cold Resistance 30, so only responds to particularly intense cold attacks. Rumtifusils have an exquisite sense of taste, so will recoil from anything they find distasteful such as pepper or strong vinegar.

There is great debate amongst sages as to whether the rumtifusil is an animal, a vegetable or a fungus. In fact, these curious creatures are all three, being a predatory colonial lifeform that combines all the Kingdoms of life, like a cross between a Portuguese man of war, a lichen and a slime-mold.*
*
A rumtifusil is a Medium Magical Beast with 5 Hit Dice (37 hp), AC10 and Saves of +6 Fort -1 Ref and -4 Will. Their ability scores are Strength 1, Dexterity 1, Constitution 15, Intelligence –, Wisdom 10, Charisma 1. Rumtifusils possess all the immunities of the Plant and Ooze types (e.g. mind-affecting effects, sight-attacks, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and critical hits) except for poison, to which they are vulnerable. In addition, a rumtifusil can get all the water it needs from the atmosphere, so is immune to most forms of thirst, although it still needs to breathe and eat. They are also immune to any power that only affects one of the lifeforms they are comprised of, so _calm animals, plant growth_ spells etc have no effect. Being mindless, they have no skill points.

These creatures can only creep slowly around (Speed 5, climb 5), so they have no hope of catching victims except by ambush or trickery. A rumtifusil is eyeless and completely blind, but can sense opportunities or danger with the scent special quality and blindsight 10 ft. Upon scenting humanoids a rumtifusil stays perfectly motionless, even when being handled, in the hope whoever found it will try to wear them so it can start a *Smother* attack. They can also drop upon creatures who pass below them in an effort to wrap them in their folds, but usually only use this attack to ensnare animals.

A live (or Undead) rumtifusil keeps its wearer warm like a masterwork cold weather outfit, although this is unlikely to be much comfort to its victim.

A rumtifusil needs to make an attack roll (it has a +0 Attack bonus) to successfully *Drop* upon a victim, the victim and anyone else able to react that round is then entitled to a grapple check to throw the rumtifusil off before it can *Attach* itself by driving thousands of microscopic tendrils through the victim's clothes and skin. A rumtifusil will automatically succeed in Attaching itself if the victim willingly puts it on. An Attached rumtifusil is impossible to remove by force, at best this will only tear off a small portion of the creature together with the unfortunate victim's skin, the rumtifusil quickly flows over the resulting hole.

A rumtifusil can be frozen or burned away with any kind of energy attack, but this deals damage to the victim as well. The best means of killing an attached rumtifusil without harming its victim are single-target spells such as _magic-missile_. There is a simple means of removing a rumtifusil, though it's known to only a few. Simply soaking the victim in a fluid the rumtifusil finds unpleasant-tasting, such as vinegar, pepper-water and chili-sauce, will cause the monster to release its victim in disgust. This is one reason some experienced Northern adventurers are notorious for the overwhelming stench of their cologne.

A dead rumtifusil falls to pieces in a matter of minutes, so can be easily torn off its victim without causing further damage. The hair-fine tendrils it Attached itself with break off in the victim's skin, but dissolve harmlessly without ever causing infections or allergic reactions – rumtifusil flesh does not trigger immune responses in Humanoids, so would have many uses in medicine.

The victim of an Attached rumtifusil takes no immediate damage, but is unable to draw or hold their breath, so must start to make Constitution checks or suffocate. Cutting airholes in the rumtifusil does not prevent this *Smother* attack, since a rumtifusil tightens around the victim so much they cannot expand their lungs. For obvious reasons, a rumtifusil can not Attach to and Smother an opponent larger than its own size.

Once a rumtifusil kills a victim, its tendrils grow and multiply to digest its prey until there is nothing left but hollow bones. A rumtifusil does not keep much of the water content of its victim, exhaling it from the innumerable pores on its skin, so only gains about a pound of weight for every five pounds of flesh it eats.

Rumtifusils reproduce by budding when their weight increases to a critical point - this usually occurs after one's eaten some forty or fifty pounds of flesh. The monster splits into two identical 5HD rumtifusils, one inside the other. After reproducing, each rumtifusil wanders off by itself, they are completely asocial creatures.

 *Lore Checks*
*DC 12* - If yer goin' throughs da woods and finds a lovely new fur coat 'angin' from a tree wit nobbody abouts to claims it, best not put it on, for it could bes a rumtifusil. Dese be varmints dat looks loik da spittin' image of a fur coat, who waits fur some fool tourist to put 'em on den strangles and eats dem.
*DC 17* - If a rumtifusil wraps itsel' around ye, yer only hope is to burn it off. Ye couldn't pull one off somebody without ripping off their entire hide. They don't always wait for someone to put them on, if a person or critter walks underneath them they may drop onto their backs and try to enwrap them. Rumtifusils grow when they eat; first they become nice thick fur coats, then double-layered fur coats, until finally they split into two new coats. If ye come across a dried-out skeleton wearing three or four fine fur coats one inside the other, they are rumtifusils sure as eggs is eggs.
*DC 22* - You like my perfume, do ye? Let me tells ye a secret of the lumberman's craft. This is Eau de Tabasca, made from finest red-hot chilis. If I'm going about my business in the woods and a rumtifusil drops on me, the critter will spit me out cause it don't like the taste. Works for other varmints that might want to eat a fellow, too. Course it may tickle a mite when I get cut, but that does'n bother a hardy fellow like me!

 *Rumtifusil Stat Block*
A Rumtifusil doesn't require a full mechanical write-up, so here's a compact statblock containing all its relevant information:

*Rumtifusil* (Medium Magical Beast; Hit Dice: 5d10+10(37hp); Init: -5; Speed: 5 ft., climb 5 ft; AC: 10 (-5 Dex, +5 natural) touch 5, flat-footed 10; Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+0; Attacks: Drop +0 melee (attach); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Attach, smother, Special Qualities: Blindsight 10 ft, cold resistance 30, composite lifeform [_immune to powers that only affect one component of the rumtifusil_], immunities (mind-affecting effects, sight-attacks, sleep effects, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and critical hits), mimic fur coat, scent; Saves: Fort +6, Ref -1, Will -4; Abilities: Str 1, Dex 1, Con 15, Int –, Wis 10, Cha 1; Skills: Climb +3, Disguise -5 [_+20 to imitate fur coat, always takes 10_]; Environment: Cold forests; Organization: Solitary or spawning (2-4); Alignment: Always neutral; CR: 2)


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## Cleon (Jan 9, 2009)

Well  I've been busy with work and holiday festivities since boxing day, so it's been a while since I've posted a Lumberjack monster, but I've got quite a few ideas for critters boiling away. I'm working on a nest of lumberjack serpents at the moment, so here's a couple to keep you going - the hoop snake and its charming cousin the bangle snake.

Oh, and yes I did add the giant version of the bangle snake just so I could make corny references to a certain fast food business in the description.


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## Cleon (Jan 9, 2009)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Hoop Snake*

*Hoop Snake*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 3d10+3 (19 hp)
*Initiative:* +9
*Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares)[_30-120 ft. with rolling speed_], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 18 (+5 Dex, +3 natural), touch 15, flat-footed 13
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +3/+6
*Attack:* Tail-horn +9 melee (1d8+3/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) or bite +8 melee (1d4+3 plus poison)
*Full* *Attack:* Tail-horn +9 melee (1d8+3/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) and bite +3 melee (1d4+1 plus poison)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Impale, tail-blast, poison
*Special* *Qualities:* low-light vision, rolling speed, scent
*Saves:* Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 17, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
*Skills:* Balance +13, Bluff -4[_+2 imitate whistling_], Climb +13, Hide +12, Listen +7, Spot +12, Swim +11
*Feats:* Alertness, Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (tail-horn)
*Environment:* Temperate plains and hills
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 4
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 4-6 HD (Medium), 7-12 (Large)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_A lurid red-brown snake maybe twice the length of a man, distinguished by a six-inch horn on the tip of its tail. The reptile is thick-bodied, with a big head, and moves with lightning speed._

An average sized hoop snake is some ten feet long outstretched, or about a yard in diameter when coiled in a hoop. It weighs some sixty pounds, which is bulky for a snake of its length. The largest specimens may reach twice this length or more.

A hoop snake is an aggressive reptile with a peculiar mode of locomotion and impressive weaponry on either end of its body. Its bite are powerful and loaded with venom, but more terrible is the horn upon its tail-tip, which strikes like a poisonous thunderbolt, causing its victims to be paralyzed, turn black and curl up and die. Unlike regular snakes they have slicing teeth along their jaws, which allows these reptiles to bite mouthfuls off prey too large to swallow.

When it wants to travel at speed, a hoop-snake grasps its tail horn in its jaws and uses undulations of its muscular body to roll along the ground like a child's toy hoop. Travelling in this fashion, a hoop snake can outrun a man riding a horse across flat ground, and can move even faster rolling downhill. No unaugmented human can hope to outrun a hoop snake on foot across open ground. A person fleeing a hoop snake can easily escape if there's a fence nearby, since the snake cannot roll through such barriers, but must stop to slither through. Hoop snakes always roll with their tail facing forwards, so they can uncurl their bodies and hurl themselves at prey like venomous javelins, they roll along on their backs rather than their bellies, since this give them a better view of the ground ahead than if they were rolling with their head looking in towards their underside.

Some hoop snakes have the curious habit of whistling to lure prey and attract mates. These calls sound eerily human, like wolf whistles or short tunes of up to half a dozen notes.

Hoop snakes have keen eyesight, and hunt as much by sight as scent. Their preferred strategy for catching prey is to find a sunny, elevated spot - a shallow hill surrounded by prairie is ideal from which they can scan around for prey. Once spotted, they can roll down the slope to pursue their prey at tremendous speed - up to 600 feet per round.

The flesh of hoop snakes is perfectly edible, indeed it's quite tasty and nourishing. Since it's a rare and dangerous animal, they're considered a delicacy. The most famous recipe is a fricassee of hoop snake and rooster first presented to their Highness [_insert campaign appropriate monarch here_], apparently he was _coq-a-hoop_ about it.

*Combat*
A hoop snake rolls towards the tastiest looking target and uncoils itself in a tail-horn charge attack. Remember the +2 attack and -2 AC for a charge. If the prey does not fall immediately, or it defended by allies, the snake lashes about with its tail-horn and bite in a bid to finish the fight.

Hoop snakes are pugnacious but not suicidal. If they take more than half their hit points in damage, they will seek to flee. Hoop snakes often flee like regular snakes rather than rolling. Usually, this is because they're fleeing upslope back towards the safety of their burrows, and they can travel uphill no faster in a hoop. Another factor is it's difficult for a hoop snake to hide whilst rolling, and like most snakes they have a strong instinct to conceal themselves when they're defensive.

*Impale (Ex)*
A hoop snake that hits any target using its tail horn in a charge attack does double damage (2d8+6/18-20×2 plus tail-blast, triple damage on a critical as per standard rules) but runs the risk of its tail-horn getting stuck in the target. Roll a Strength check for the hoop snake, if the result is fails to beat the hit points of damage the tail-horn inflicted it has become stuck. A hoop snake may consciously elect to impale its foe with its tail-horn by making a successful grapple test.

A hoop snake may discharge Tail-Blasts through its tail-horn into an impaled as a standard action, but fights as if it were in a grapple.

To extract the tail-horn from an impalement the hoop snake, or another creature, needs to succeed in a Strength check against a DC of 15 plus the hardness of the object the tail-horn is impaled in. If the attempt to remove the tail-horn is being opposed by another creature, e.g. an impaled victim is trying to pull out the tail-horn but the hoop snake is resisting this, a successful grapple check must also be made. It is quite possible for the hoop snake to become impaled in such a tough material it cannot tug its tail-horn free. If this happens, the hoop snake will shed the horny sheath of its tail (this takes 1d4 minutes, so is not something that normally occurs during combat). A hoop snake without a tail-horn can still fight with its exposed tail-spike, but this only does 1d6+3/19-20×2 damage and cannot channel its Tail-Blast. A hoop snake can regrow a shed tail-horn in two days.

*Poison (Ex)*
A hoop snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d4 Str if the victim fails a DC 12 Fortitudesave. The save DC is Constitution-based.

*Rolling Speed (Ex)*
A hoop snake can curl itself into a loop and roll along as a full-round movement action, which can include a charge attack with its tail-horn. Rolling doubles the hoop snake's land speed to 60 ft., and permits it to make a run action at five times its normal speed, as if it possessed the Run feat. Furthermore, a hoop-snake's speed is doubled yet again (i.e. quadrupled) rolling downhill. A hoop snake's rolling speed is halved going uphill and it cannot apply its Run bonus. Since this is no better than its regular land speed, it rarely rolls uphill.

*Tail-Blast (Su)*
A hoop snake's Tail-Blast is a deadly energy discharge, similar to the electrical shock of an electric eel or catfish. A hoop snake can elect to release a tail blast whenever it hits with its tail horn attack, but does not have to. Anything struck by the tail-horn must make a Fortitude save against DC14 or take 1d6 hit points of force damage per Hit Dice of the Hoop Snake (3d6), plus be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. If they succeed in the save, they take half damage and are merely stunned for a round. The tail-blast damage is in addition to the damage from the tail-horn attack that delivered it. The Save DC is Strength-based.

[_There are differing accounts of a hoop snake's tail attack. Some sources compare the effects to being struck by lightning, others descriptions are closer to a rapid acting venom, a few have features of both. If you prefer those, you could change this tail-horn special attack to:

*Tail-Venom (Ex)*
A hoop snake injects anything struck with its tail-horn with a highly potent venom. This poison deals initial and secondary damage of 1d8 Con if the victim fails a DC 16 Fortitude save. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.

If you're really sadistic, the tail horn *combines* a force damage Tail-Blast and a poison damage Tail-Sting. That's probably closer to the more exaggerated accounts of the varmint's poison, but would merit a Challenge Rating hike. It would certainly account for this monster's fearsome reputation!

*Venomous Tail-Blast (Su)*
A hoop snake's tail horn can inflict a lethal combination of energy-discharge and venom. The object struck by the tail-horn must make a DC 16 Fortitude save or take 1d6 Con damage, plus 1d4 hit points of force damage per Hit Dice of the hoop snake plus be paralyzed for 1d4 rounds. If they succeed in the initial save, they take half force damage, no Con damage and are merely stunned for a round. One minute after the initial tail hit the target must make a secondary Fortitude save against the same DC or suffer another 1d6 Con damage. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus._]

 *Skills*
Hoop snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Listen checks, a +6 racial bonus on Bluff checks made to imitate a human or animal whistling and Spot checks, and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A hoop snake can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Hoop snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher. A hoop snake 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.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 14* - Everyone knows wat a 'oop snake be. It be a big reddy-browny snake wit a sting in its tail, dat curls itself up in a ring so's to roll along like a wagon wheel. Dey can roll fasser dan a horse, you knows. Soon as dey catches up wit yer, dey unwinds demselves any runs you through wit der tail-spike, wit is deadly poison dat could strike an ox dead on da spot.
*DC 19* - Don't try to outrun a hoop snake, son. They can roll faster than a thoroughbred. Your best hop is to hop over a fence or jump behind a tree. The snake must stop rolling to slither through a fence, giving you time to show it your heels. If you duck behind a tree at the right time, the hoop snake will skewer the tree with its tail-horn, not you. If you're lucky, the snake'll have struck so hard its tail will have got stuck in the tree, giving you a chance to finish it off or go to fetch help.
*DC 24* - Did you know hoop snakes can whistle? If you're walking along and hear something up on the hill whistling, it might not be a person pursing their lips, but a hoop snake trying to tempt you to come closer to see what's making the noise. Or maybe they like to whistle at lady snakes, like some foolish young'uns do these days.

*Advanced Hoop Snakes*
Here are compact stat blocks for a regular hoop snake, one advanced to Large size and one at advanced to maximum Hit Dice.

*Hoop Snake *(Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 3d10+3 (19hp); Init: +9; Speed: 30 ft. (4 squares)[30-120 ft. with rolling speed], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 18(+5 Dex, +3 natural) touch 15, flat-footed 13; Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6; Attack: Tail-horn +9 melee (1d8+3/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) or bite +8 melee (1d4+3 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail-horn +9 melee (1d8+3/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) and bite +3 melee (1d4+1 plus poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Impale [_tail 1d6+3/19-20×2 without horn_], tail-blast [_DC 14 Fort else 3d6 force plus 1d4 rounds paralysis, half damage and 1 round stun on save*_], poison [_bite, DC12 or 1d4/1d4 Str_]; Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +2; Abilities: Str 17, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Bluff -4[_+2 imitate whistling_], Climb +13, Hide +12, Listen +7, Spot +12, Swim +11; Feats: Alertness, Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (tail-horn); CR: 4)
**Alternatives to tail-blast:*
tail-sting [_Poison, DC 16 Fort or 1d8/1d8 Con_]
venomous tail-blast [_poison and force, DC 16 Fort or 3d4 force damage, 1d4 rounds paralysis plus 1d6/1d6 Con damage poison, half force damage and 1 round stun on save_](increase CR to 5)

*Large Hoop Snake *(Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 7d10+21 (59hp); Init: +9; Speed: 30 ft. (4 squares)[30-120 ft. with rolling speed], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 19(-1 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural) touch 14, flat-footed 14; Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+18; Attack: Tail-horn +14 melee (2d6+7/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) or bite +13 melee (1d6+7 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail-horn +14 melee (2d6+7/18-20×2 plus tail-blast) and bite +8 melee (1d6+3 plus poison); Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Impale[_tail 1d8+7/19-20×2 without horn_], tail-blast [_DC 22 Fort else 7d6 force plus 1d4 rounds paralysis, half damage and 1 round stun on save*_], poison [_bite, DC16 or 1d6/1d6 Str_]; Saves: Fort +8, Ref +10; Will +3; Abilities: Str 25, Dex 20, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Bluff -4[_+2 imitate whistling_], Climb +15, Hide +12, Listen +7, Spot +12, Swim +15; Feats: Ability Focus (tail-blast); Alertness, Improved InitiativeB, Weapon Focus (tail-horn); CR: 7)
**Alternatives to tail-blast:*
tail-sting [_Poison, DC 22 Fort or 1d10/1d10 Con_]
venomous tail-blast [_poison and force, DC 22 Fort or 7d4 force damage, 1d4 rounds paralysis plus 1d10/1d10 Con damage poison, half force damage and 1 round stun on save_] (increase CR to 8)

*Maximized Hoop Snake *(Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 12d10+48 (114hp); Init: +9; Speed: 30 ft. (4 squares)[30-120 ft. with rolling speed], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 19(-1 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural) touch 14, flat-footed 14; Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+24; Attack: Tail-horn +20 melee (2d6+8/15-20×2 plus tail-blast) or bite +19 melee (1d6+8 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail-horn +20 melee (2d6+8/15-20×2 plus tail-blast) and bite +14 melee (1d6+4 plus poison); Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Impale [_tail 1d8+8/17-20×2 without horn_], tail-blast [_DC 24 Fort else 12d6 force plus 1d4 rounds paralysis, half damage and 1 round stun on save*_], poison [_bite, DC19 or 1d6/1d6 Str_]; Saves: Fort +12, Ref +13; Will +7; Abilities: Str 26, Dex 20, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Bluff -4[+2 imitate whistling], Climb +16, Hide +14, Listen +8, Spot +14, Swim +16; Feats: Ability Focus (tail-blast); Alertness, Improved Critical (tail-horn), Improved InitiativeB, Iron Will, Weapon Focus (tail-horn); CR: 9)
**Alternatives to tail-blast:*
tail-sting [_Poison, DC 25 Fort or 1d10/1d10 Con_]
venomous tail-blast [_poison and force, DC 25 Fort or 10d4 force damage, 1d4 rounds paralysis plus 1d10/1d10 Con damage poison, half force damage and 1 round stun on save_] (increase CR to 10)


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## Cleon (Jan 9, 2009)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Bangle Snake*

*Hypnotic Hoop Snake (Bangle Snake)*
Tiny Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 2d10+2 (13 hp)
*Initiative:* +4
*Speed:* 15 ft. (3 squares)[_15-60 ft. with rolling speed_], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 21 (+2 size, +4 Dex, +5 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 19
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +2/-2 [_+10 with circle snare_]
*Attack:* Bite +8 melee (1d2 plus poison)
*Full* *Attack:* Bite +7 melee (1d2 plus poison)
*Space/Reach:* 2½ ft./0 ft.;
*Special* *Attacks:* Constrict 1d4, circle snare, hypnotic temptation, poison
*Special* *Qualities:* low-light vision, mimic jewellery [_DC 24_], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent
*Saves:* Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5
*Abilities:* Str 11, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 15
*Skills:* Balance +12, Climb +12, Concentration +10, Hide +18, Listen +9, Spot +7, Swim +8
*Feats:* Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite)
*Environment:* Temperate plains and hills
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 1
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 3-4 HD (Small), 5-8 HD (Medium)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_The colour and pattern of this  fat-bodied snake is constantly changing. Its eyes gleam like gems as they shift from sapphire to ruby via emerald green, while the hue of its smooth scales switches between shining silver and gold to flat grey and dull yellow._

A hypnotic hoop snake is more commonly known as a bangle snake. Most of these creatures are small, a typical bangle snake is thirty inches long and weighs about a pound. They are excessively thick-bodied and heavy for a snake, without much tapering of the tail.

Bangle snakes have very fine-scales which are nevertheless extraordinarily tough, matching chain armour in protective quality. They can change the colour of their scales to perfectly match most metals known to man – gold, silver, electrum, steel, brass, et cetera – as well as a good range of bright, enamel-like hues (fire-bucket red, leaf green, turquoise etc) together with dull, inconspicuous colours such as ochre-brown or slate gray, for when they desire stealth. Their eyes can change to a good approximation of a gemstone, or be almost undetectable when the snake shuts its eyelids. A dead bangle snake swiftly loses any bright hue it may have assumed, reverting to a dull and nondescript appearance.

Bangle snakes can grab their tails in their mouths and roll along like a hoop snake or an amphisbaena, but they do not use this ability to pursue prey. Instead, they find a well-travelled spot and change their colour to resemble a piece of jewellery such as a silver armband or a golden neck-torc then just wait in plain view. Any passersby who sees the bangle snake will be struck with an uncanny impulse to try the "jewellery" on and turn it around to admire it. This urge affects any living creature with enough of a mind to understand it. Since most animals lack the means to pick a bangle snake up and put it on their body, the bangle snake will try to prop its ring-curled body up on a stick, bush or other convenient support to make it easier for passing beasts to slip their head or body through the snake. As soon as the snake thinks it's securely around its wearer it snaps shut like a snare and buries venomous fangs in their flesh. Their metal-hard scales allow them to rasp through their victim's flesh as they gyre closed.

These serpents are unnaturally powerful and resilient, and it takes a strong hand to prise one away from its victim. As some compensation, bangle snakes are amongst the most sluggish of serpents, since they rely on their hypnotic powers to lure prey they are slow moving and lack the startling reflexes of most snakes.

Hypnotic hula snakes do grow to larger sizes, popularly known as Hula snakes after the half-elf Ukulele Hula, the first person on record unfortunate enough to have a close encounter with such a specimen. Mr Hula spent the last few moments of his life twirling a three-foot diameter hypnotic hoop snake around his waist, laughing like an idiot.

These snakes have no other noteworthy habits known to sages. A few alchemists and savants will pay for live specimens to try to discover a means of preserving their skin's colour-changing powers, in the hope of marketing bangleskin clothes or jewellery, so far without success. At the moment, the only way to safely turn a bangle snake into colour-changing jewellery is to wear a live one that's somehow been rendered harmless - i.e. used a familiar, paralyzed, magically dominated, drugged insensate and so forth. The risks of this are evident.

Bangle snakes breed in the conventional serpentine fashion, after which the females lay a dozen or so shiny blue-black eggs in a warm, sandy spot which they then abandon.

*Combat*
A Bangle snake uses Hypnotic Temptation to try to compel a victim to wear it, then snaps close with Circle Snare, followed by repeated uses of its Constrict attack and Poison bite.

If the prospective victim resists its hypnotic powers, the snake may try to grapple using a normal touch attack, benefiting from its Improved Grapple bonus feat. It will seldom attempt this against opponents bigger than itself.

If a bangle snake fails to get a Circle Snare after one or two attempts, or its victim manages to pry it off afterwards, the creature will usually just give up and roll away. They are smart enough to know they have little change of snaring an opponent who they can't hypnotize into cooperating.

*Circle Snare (Ex)*
A bangle snake can lock its body around an opponent it has a grappling hold on as a move action. This gives it a +12 competence bonus on its grappling checks against that opponent and against other being's attempts to break its hold. Normally, the snake uses its Hypnotic Temptation power to get a hold of an opponent, but it can start a grapple using a touch attack as per the standard rules.

A bangle snake that has a victim in its Circle Snare can make a bite attack and a Constrict attack against them every round. The snake can only attack the Circle Snared victim, if it wishes to bite any other opponent it must release its Circle Snare first, which it can do at any time as a free action.

*Constrict (Ex)*
On a successful grapple check, a hypnotic hoop snake deals 1d4 points of damage.

*Hypnotic Temptation (Su)*
 The bangle snake selects one victim within a distance equal to a medium ranged spell (i.e. 100 ft plus 10 feet per hit dice). The victim must succeed at a Will save against DC 13 or act upon the compulsion to put the "bangle" on and turn it admiringly. This is similar to a _suggestion_ spell, being a Enchantment (Compulsion) power, but it is not language dependent and the victim must be able to see the snake to be affected.

A bangle snake must be using Mimic Jewellery to use Hypnotic Temptation. Initiating and maintaining Hypnotic Temptation is a full-round action, the snake can take no other action without breaking the effect. The effects last as long as the bangle snake concentrates, and the victim is considered to be Fascinated (q.v.) until the enchantment is broken. If the target of Hypnotic Temptation manages to put the snake on, the bangle snake can automatically succeed at a grapple check to take hold of the target, and thereafter use its Circle Snare attack.

The save DC is Charisma-based.

 *Mimic Jewellery (Ex)* 
A bangle snake can imitate a loop of jewellery, by slightly change its shape and changing the colour and texture of its scales to match metal, enamel or plastic. Characters who examines the snake can detect the ruse with a successful Spot check. The DC of this spot check equals 20 plus the snake's Hit Dice plus its Charisma bonus, so an average bangle snake is DC 24 to spot.

It takes a full-round action for a bangle snake to assume its jewelled disguise, after which it can maintain it indefinitely. While mimicking jewellery a bangle snake can use its Rolling Speed and Hypnotic Temptation without breaking its masquerade.

A character with stonecunning can apply that bonus to their Spot checks to notice a camouflaged bangle snake. If they possess skill ranks in Appraise or Craft (jewellery) they can substitute that bonus for Spot in the check to notice the monster, plus they receive a +2 bonus to the Spot check from skill synergy if they possess 5 ranks in either Craft (jewellery) or Appraise, +4 for 5 ranks in both.
 
*Poison (Ex)*
A hypnotic hoop snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d3 Con if the victim fails a DC 12 Fortitudesave. The save DC is Constitution-based.

*Reptilian Obstinacy (Ex)*
Unlike a standard Magical Beast, a Bangle snake has good Will saves but only poor Reflex saves. It can add its Charisma bonus to its Will save instead of its Wisdom bonus, whichever is higher.

*Rolling Speed (Ex)*
A bangle snake can curl itself into a loop and roll along as a full-round movement action. Rolling doubles the bangle snake's land speed to 30 ft., and permits it to make a run action at five times its normal speed, as if it possessed the Run feat. Furthermore, a bangle snake's speed is doubled yet again (i.e. quadrupled to 60 ft) rolling downhill. The snake's rolling speed is halved going uphill and it cannot apply its Run bonus. Since this is no better than its regular land speed, it rarely rolls uphill.

*Skills*
Hypnotic hoop snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Spot checks, a +6 racial bonus on Hide and Listen checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Concentration checks. A snake can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher. A snake 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.

 *Lore Checks*
*DC 11* - I heard a local gal was walking through the bush one day and came upon a silver torc lying on the ground. So, she picked it up and tried it on, then the torc turned into a snake and throttled her! I asked around and a cunning-man told me this was a bangle snake. So if you find some jewellery just lying about, best make sure it's safe before putting it on!
*DC 16* - Educated folk call the bangle snake a hypnotic hoop snake, because they can mesmerize people into putting them on. They can also curl themselves in a ring and roll about like a hoop snake. Bangle snakes have venomous fangs, but don't have a deadly tail-spike like a true hoop snake. They're not always the size of armbands or neck-rings, some of them grow big enough to whirl around your waist. I hear these are called Hula snakes, after some fellow who discovered them.
*DC 21* - A bangle snake can only hypnotize one person at a time, and they've got to look at the ring-coiled serpent to be affected. They're pretty lazy, so if a hypnotic hoop snake can't hypnotize a victim into putting it on it'll usually just roll away rather than try to fight it out.
 
*Nugget Snake*
A nugget snake is either a very close relative of a bangle snake or a breed that has learned a specialized hunting strategy, their statistics are identical to bangle snakes.

Nugget snakes live in streams, where they bury themselves under the silt except for their heads. The snake then uses its Mimic Jewellery power to make its head appear to be a gold nugget, or one of its eyes a sparkling gemstone. This acts as a Hypnotic Temptation to any animals coming down to drink, plus passing fish and prospectors.

*Advanced and Juvenile Bangle Snakes*
 The following stat-blocks cover bangle snakes of all size categories. Fine and Diminutive bangle snakes are included in the stat-blocks to represent juvenile animals, but such are highly unlikely to attack adventurers; their grapple checks are way too low for them to effectively Constrict most humanoids.

*Fine Bangle Snake *(Fine Magical Beast, Hit Dice: ½d10+1 (3hp); Init: +6; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[_15-60 ft. with rolling speed_], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 29(+8 size, +6 Dex, +5 natural), touch 24, flat-footed 23; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-12 [_+0 with circle snare_]; Full Attack: Bite +16 melee (1 plus poison); Space/Reach: ½ ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d2-1, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 12), poison (Fort DC 11 1/1 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [_DC 22_], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +4; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 23, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 15; Skills: Balance +14, Climb +14, Concentration +10, Hide +28, Listen +8, Spot +7, Swim +7; Feats: Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: ¼)

*Diminutive Bangle Snake *(Diminutive Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 1d10+1 (6hp); Init: +5; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[_15-60 ft. with rolling speed_], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 24(+4 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural), touch 19, flat-footed 19; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-8 [_+4 with circle snare_]; Full Attack: Bite +11 melee (1 plus poison); Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d3-1, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 12), poison (Fort DC 11 1d2/1d2 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [_DC 23_], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +5, Will +4; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 15; Skills: Balance +13, Climb +13, Concentration +10, Hide +23, Listen +8, Spot +7, Swim +7; Feats: Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: ½)

*Tiny Bangle Snake *(Tiny Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (13hp); Init: +4; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[_15-60 ft. with rolling speed_], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 21(+2 size, +4 Dex, +5 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 17; Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-2 [_+10 with circle snare_]; Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d2 plus poison); Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d4, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 13), poison (Fort DC 12 1d3/1d3 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [_DC 24_], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5; Abilities: Str 11, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 15; Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Concentration +10, Hide +18, Listen +9, Spot +7, Swim +8; Feats: Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 1)

*Small Bangle Snake (Hula Snake) *(Small Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 3d10+3 (19hp); Init: +3; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[_15-60 ft. with rolling speed_], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 19(+1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural) touch 14, flat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+5[_+17 with circle snare_]; Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d3+2 plus poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d6+3, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 15), poison (Fort DC 12 1d4/1d4 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [_DC 25_], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +4, Ref +4, Will +5; Abilities: Str 15, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 15; Skills: Balance +11, Climb +11, Concentration +10; Hide +14, Listen +9, Spot +7, Swim +10; Feats: Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 2)

*Medium Bangle Snake (Hula Snake) *(Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 5d10+10 (37hp); Init: +2; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[_15-60 ft. with rolling speed_], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 17(+2 Dex, +5 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 15; Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+13[_+25 with circle snare_]; Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d4+4 plus poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d8+6, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 17), poison (Fort DC 14 1d6/1d6 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [_DC 28_], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +6, Ref +3, Will +7; Abilities: Str 19, Dex 15, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 16; Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Concentration +12, Hide +10, Listen +9, Spot +7, Swim +12; Feats: Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), Improved GrappleB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 3)

*Maximized Bangle Snake (Hula Snake) *(Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 8d10+24 (68hp); Init: +2; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[_15-60 ft. with rolling speed_], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 17(+2 Dex, +5 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 15; Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+16[_+28 with circle snare_]; Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d4+4 plus poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 2d6+6, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 19), poison (Fort DC 17 1d6/1d6 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [_DC 31_], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +9, Ref +5, Will +9; Abilities: Str 19, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 16; Skills: Balance +10, Climb +12, Concentration +13, Hide +10, Listen +10, Spot +9, Swim +12; Feats: Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), Improved GrappleB, Improved Natural Attack (constrict), Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 4)

*Giant Bangle Snakes (Golden Arch Snake)
*The notorious bard Roland clanRonald has spread tales of encountering a pair of giant hula snakes big enough to crush a mastodon into mincemeat. While these serpents could roll around the landscape like living ferris wheels, they spend most of their time using the strength of their body to prop their body in a single giant loop above the ground. In this shape they appear as a golden gateway or triumphal arch, and mesmerize passing prey, mostly migrating mastodons, into walking into the snare of their arcing body. These snakes, so clanRonald claims, were worshipped by a local tribe of goblins, who'd wait until the snakes had finished eating and then scavenge the mastodon's carcass for meat, which they'd eat in patties placed between two flat pieces of bread or biscuit which allegedly could last a remarkably long time without deteriorating. clanRonald claims to have repeatedly tried to bring back proof of his tail back to civilization, including these mastodon-burgers, but was thwarted every time by having his evidence burgled away by a masterful goblin rogue who acted as some kind of tribal hero.

These snakes have the statistics of a regular bangle snakes advanced to Large or Huge size, as follows:

*Advancement:* 9-14 HD (Large), 15-20 HD (Huge)

*Large Golden Arch Snake (Hula Snake) *(Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 9d10+45 (85hp); Init: +1; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[_15-60 ft. with rolling speed_], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 17(-1 size, +1 Dex, +7 natural) touch 10, flat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+25[_+37 with circle snare_]; Full Attack: Bite +17 melee (1d6+8 plus poison); Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 3d6+12, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 19), poison (Fort DC 19 1d8/1d8 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [_DC 32_], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +9; Abilities: Str 27, Dex 13, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 16; Skills: Balance +9, Climb +16, Concentration +15, Hide +5, Listen +11, Spot +9, Swim +16; Feats: Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), Improved GrappleB, Improved Natural Attack (constrict), Lightning Reflexes, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 5)

*Huge Golden Arch Snake (Hula Snake) *(Huge Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 15d10+105 (187hp); Init: +1; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[_15-60 ft. with rolling speed_], climb 15 ft., swim 10 ft.; AC: 19(-2 size, +1 Dex, +10 natural) touch 9, flat-footed 18; Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+39[_+51 with circle snare_]; Full Attack: Bite +26 melee (2d6+12 plus poison); Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 4d6+18, circle snare, hypnotic temptation (Will DC 22), poison (Fort DC 24 1d10/1d10 Con); Special Qualities: low-light vision, mimic jewellery [_DC 38_], reptilian obstinacy, rolling speed, scent; Saves: Fort +16, Ref +6, Will +12; Abilities: Str 35, Dex 12, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 16; Skills: Balance +9, Climb +20, Concentration +17, Hide +1, Listen +14, Spot +12, Swim +20; Feats: Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), Improved GrappleB, Improved Natural Attack (bite), Improved Natural Attack (constrict), Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 7)

*Feat Progression:* [1 HD] Improved GrappleB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite), [3 HD] Ability Focus (hypnotic temptation), [6 HD] Improved Natural Attack (constrict), [9 HD] Lightning Reflexes, [12 HD] Power Attack, [15 HD] Improved Natural Attack (bite), [18 HD] Iron Will

*Ability Increases:* [4 HD] +1 Cha, [8 HD] +1 Con, [12 HD] +1 Dex, [16 HD] +1 Cha, [20 HD] +1 Cha


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## Cleon (Jan 9, 2009)

Oh blast, I forgot to include the DC to notice the bangle snake is actually a snake and not jewellery. I'll have to edit it in later, haven't got time now.

EDIT: OK, I fixed that and added a bit more explanation to the Hypnotic Temptation power. Also put in the Nugget Snake sub-species, which I'd written up but forgotten to include in the final draft.

EDITED EDIT: And the bangle snakes are also missing Space/Reach in the compact stat-blocks, had to fix that as well.


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## freyar (Jan 10, 2009)

Wow, nice!  And they look like you've done quite a bit of work on them, too.


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## Cleon (Jan 10, 2009)

freyar said:


> Wow, nice!  And they look like you've done quite a bit of work on them, too.




Ta Freyar. Yes, I got carried away with the detail, again. That's the way I like my critters. Hopefully you'll see another serpent or three within the week.


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## Melatuis (Jan 12, 2009)

Thank you very much!!!!  I am going to use your Windigo in my conversion of "Wind Chill" from November/December 1999, Dungeon #77, in my ongoing game.

Thanks again!!


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## Cleon (Jan 12, 2009)

Melatuis said:


> Thank you very much!!!!  I am going to use your Windigo in my conversion of "Wind Chill" from November/December 1999, Dungeon #77, in my ongoing game.
> 
> Thanks again!!




Be my guest! I'm glad to hear someone's getting some use out of my beasties.

Am I right in guessing you're using the Windigo Beast out of the three versiona? If I remember that Dungeon adventure correctly, it's for lowish levels (4th or 5th?), so the Windigo Giant would be rather overpowering.


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## Cleon (Jan 17, 2009)

Here's a couple of new serpents to add to the Fearsome Critters. The Joint Snake is a classic lumberjack yarn, but the Dart Snake is not a genuine legend but my interpretation of a snake from ancient European legend, the _Jaculus_, see the notes at the end of the write-up for some details.


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## Cleon (Jan 17, 2009)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Joint Snake*

*Joint Snake*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 4d10+8 (30 hp)[_7 hp to sever_]
*Initiative:* +7
*Speed:* 20 ft. (4 squares), burrow 10 ft., climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 18 (+3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 15 [_head AC 24, touch 19, flat 21_]
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +4/+8
*Attack:* Bite +9 melee (1d4+2 plus poison) or tail +8 melee (1d4+2 to 1d4)
*Full* *Attack:* Bite +9 melee (1d4+2 plus poison) and 1-3 tails +6 melee (1d4+2 to 1d4)[_see divided attacks_]
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Divided attacks, poison
*Special* *Qualities:* blindsight 10 ft., divisible body, fast healing 14 [_see below_], immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent
*Saves:* Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 18, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 2
*Skills:* Balance +11, Climb +12, Hide +10, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +12
*Feats:* Improved InitiativeB, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite)
*Environment:* Temperate or warm forests
*Organization:* Solitary, nest (1-2 adults plus 2-20 eggs or young)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 4
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 5-7 HD (Medium), 8-12 (Large), 13-16 (Huge)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_This crawling varmint looks a lot like a giant earthworm, but its slit-pupil eyes, fanged jaws and the tiny scales on its baby-smooth skin are undeniable proof that it's a serpent. Its shape has hardly any taper in it at all, the base of its tail is only a mite narrower than the thickness of its body._

A joint snake is a serpent with supernatural autohealing powers, chop a joint snake into pieces and the pieces, or "joints", stay alive and keep on fighting. These serpents look a lot like an oversized slow worm (_Anguis fragilis_, a type of legless lizard). They have eyelids, unlike true snakes, but do not have visible ears like slow worms or other lizards. An average sized specimen is some twelve feet long and weighs about a hundred pounds.

Damp undergrowth is the preferred habitat of a joint snake. They are most common in humid forests, especially the thick brush found alongside river courses. Although these animals have watertight skins, they have little tolerance of arid conditions, so are never found in dry forests or drought prone brush such as chapparal. Joint snakes are able to burrow like a blindworm through loose material like leaf-litter, mud and sandy soil or extremely thick undergrowth.

A joint snake is a simple-minded beast, operating almost entirely on instinct. Their glimmering of intelligence is barely enough for them to remember the scent and location of places which are rich in prey or offer good shelter.

Joint snakes come in both male and female, and mate in the usual fashion. Like the garter snake (_Thamnophis elegans_) or green anaconda (_Eunectes murinus_), joint snakes are viviparous, nourishing unborn offspring inside their bodies via a placenta-like connection, but the form this takes is most unusual. After mating, the female snake sheds a segment of her body filled with young, and this segment is able to live and move by itself over the 3-8 weeks it takes the embryos to mature. This womb-segment will bask in the sun to warm its young, burrow away from danger and even defend itself with tail slaps. Eventually, the segment will give live birth to 5-12 live young and die, the newborn young usually make a meal of the remains. A particularly large female may shed many such womb-segments during a breeding season, maybe as many as ten or twelve after an exceptionally rich year.

For the statistics of a joint snake womb-segment see below, under *Joint Snakes of Different Sizes*.

*Combat*
If a joint snake is feeling pugnacious, it will simply slither up and start biting and tail-slapping. They are too stupid to use anything resembling strategy, simply trying to make as many attacks as possible. As a fight progresses, the snake will probably be divided into several joints by the attacks of its opponents. Each joint has its own tail attack, which it uses with little coordination with the other pieces of the snake. Thus, a snake facing several foes who have sliced it into many pieces will divide its attacks amongst its opponents more or less at random.

Joint snakes are incredibly difficult to kill, their Fast Healing and ability to survive vivisection means a joint snake may have to be beaten into mincemeat before it stops moving. Added to this, their strange physiology renders joint snakes immune to many of the ailments that normal flesh suffers from, such as poison and disease.

A joint snake rarely retreats from combat, expecting its amazing self-healing to repair any wounds it suffers. Thus, they usually fight until death, victory or the flight of their foes. The only common occasion a joint snake will withdraw from a fight is when its opponents persist in using area of effect energy attacks, even a joint snake will retreat if faced with multiple _fireball_ and _shocking hand_ spells.

*Divisible Body (Su)*
All joint snakes larger than infants have Divisible Body, the ability to separate into pieces and still live. A joint snake can theoretically be cut into any number of pieces, but can only control one piece for every Hit Dice it possesses. The snake's life-force is constantly redistributed between the pieces, so it is not necessary to keep track of the hit point score of separate segments, just a running total of the joint snake's hit points and how many pieces it has been divided into.

A joint snake's unnatural biology gives it immunity to all sorts of ability harming effects, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers. Effects which permanently remove Hit Dice, such as _energy drain_, will cause a joint snake to have its maximum number of segments reduced by a corresponding amount.

Any blow from a slashing weapon will cut a joint snake into two. They will also separate if hit by other targeted attacks, such as a weapon blow or ray, that does damage equaling the mean hit points per die of the snake. (e.g. the snake's hit points divided by its number of hit dice and rounded down, on average this is 5 plus their Con modifier.) Such attacks cannot exceed the damage required to separate the snake. Thus, if an attacker rolls 16 damage hitting a Con 15 snake, the snake only loses 7 hit points from its total. Area effect damage subtracts from the snake's hit point total normally.

A joint snake can also deliberately halve itself by spending a standard action, this does not cause it any damage.

Although a joint snake may operate in multiple pieces, it is always considered one being, with a single set of actions. For example, one half of a joint snake could Aid Another the other half of its body, but this would cost a standard action so the snake could only Aid itself to perform a move action or less. They make grapple attacks as a single creature of its actual size, no matter how many pieces it is in.

A joint snake occupies the normal space of a creature its size, keeping any separated segments in physical contact. If the segments should be separated by an outside force, any segment not in contact with the head will not be able to perform any action except move towards the head. If kept out of contact for more than ten minutes, an isolated segment will start to shrivel and die within an hour or so. The joint snake needs to make a Constitution check every ten minutes (DC 10, +1 for each previous check) or take 1d6 non lethal damage, which can only be restored if the missing segment rejoins the rest. When this damage matches the segment's hit points (i.e. 5+Con modifier) the missing segment dies and the snake loses a Hit Dice.

*Divided Attack (Ex)*
The more pieces a joint snake is separated into, the more pieces it has to attack its foes with. Each segment of a joint snake can attack once. The front segment has a venomous bite attack, each of the subsequent segments has a tail attack. The bite attack always does the same amount of damage, but the tail attacks inflict less damage the more pieces the snake is divided into, according to the following chart, organized by Hit Dice and how many times the snake has been divided.

Note that both the bite and tail attacks of an intact joint snake use the damage bonus of a secondary attack, thus a joint snake separated into two pieces does the same damage with its attacks as an intact snake.

*Example:* A lumberjack hits a 9 HD joint snake four times with an axe, the snake is now divided into five pieces, a head with a 1d8+4 damage bite attack and four tails with 1d4+1 damage attacks.

*2 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d3+1
*3 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d4+1, 2nd cut 1d4
*4 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d4+2, 2nd cut 1d4+1, 3rd cut 1d4
*5 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d4+2, 2nd-3rd cut 1d4+1, 4th cut 1d4
*6 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d6+3, 2nd cut 1d4+2, 3rd-4th cut 1d4+1, 5th cut 1d4
*7 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d8+3, 2nd cut 1d4+2, 3rd-4th cut 1d4+1, 5th-6th cut 1d4
*8 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d8+4, 2nd cut 1d6+2, 3rd cut 1d4+2, 4th-5th cut 1d4+1, 6th-7th cut 1d4
*9 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d8+4, 2nd cut 1d6+3, 3rd cut 1d4+2, 4th-6th cut 1d4+1, 7th-8th cut 1d4
*10 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d10+5, 2nd cut 1d6+3, 3rd-4th cut 1d4+2, 5th-7th cut 1d4+1, 8th-9th cut 1d4
*11 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d10+5, 2nd cut 1d8+3, 3rd cut 1d6+2, 4th cut 1d4+2, 5th-8th cut 1d4+1, 9th-10th cut 1d4
*12 HD Snake:* 1st cut 1d10+6, 2nd cut 1d8+4, 3rd cut 1d6+3, 4th-5th cut 1d4+2, 6th-9th cut 1d4+1, 10th-11th cut 1d4
*13 HD Snake:* 1st cut 2d6+6, 2nd cut 1d8+4, 3rd cut 1d6+3, 4th-5th cut 1d4+2, 6th-9th cut 1d4+1, 10th-12th cut 1d4
*14 HD Snake:* 1st cut 2d6+7, 2nd cut 1d10+4, 3rd cut 1d8+3, 4th cut 1d6+2, 5th-6th cut 1d4+2, 7th-10th cut 1d4+1, 11th-13th cut 1d4
*15 HD Snake:* 1st cut 2d6+7, 2nd cut 1d10+5, 3rd cut 1d8+3, 4th cut 1d6+3, 5th-6th cut 1d4+2, 7th-11th cut 1d4+1, 12th-14th cut 1d4
*16 HD Snake:* 1st cut 2d6+8, 2nd cut 1d10+5, 3rd cut 1d8+4, 4th cut 1d6+3, 5th cut 1d6+2, 6th-7th cut 1d4+2, 8th-12th cut 1d4+1, 13th-15th cut 1d4

*Fast Healing (Ex)*
A joint snake has fast healing equal to 10 plus twice its Constitution modifier and can heal its severed segments back together. The snake can rejoin a pair of segments with a swift action, or rejoin as many segments as it wishes as a full-round action. Rejoining segments will reduce the joint snake's number of tail attacks and their damage – see Divided Attack.

*Panoramic Senses (Ex)*
A joint snake can sense and react to objects in all directions with equal faculty, so cannot be flanked.

*Poison (Ex)*
A joint snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con if the victim fails a DC 14 Fortitudesave. The save DC is Constitution-based.

*Skills*
Snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks. A snake can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. Snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb checks, whichever is higher. A snake 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.

 *Lore Checks*
*DC 14* - A joint snake is like a big slow-worm. They live in damp places, like riverbanks or deep piles of damp leaves on the forest floor. Funny thing about them is you can cut them into joints and it doesn't faze them - each bit of the snake stays alive and wriggling!
*DC 19* - Best not mess with a joint snake, vicious they are. Each joint of the snake can carry on attacking by itself, sometimes they even pulls themselves apart just to get more tail-ends to thwack folks with. Now they don't like dryness, cause they've got moist skins like earthworms, so folks can use fire or lye to drive away a joint snake that's bothering them.
*DC 24* - A joint snake can heal up near any wound in a few moments, and join itself back together again after being cut in twain. You can kill one by hitting it, but you might need to pound it to paste before the worm's really dead. Best way to get rid of one is throw the snake into a bonfire or quicklime pit and stop any pieces of it crawling out.

*Joint Snakes of Different Sizes*
Joint Snakes have a non-standard advancement scheme. A joint snake of Small size or larger (i.e. 2+ HD) has a Strength equal to 10 plus twice its Hit Dice, a Constitution of 11 plus its Hit Dice (with an additional +1 at 16 HD) and a Dexterity of 19 minus one for every further growth stage (at 3HD, 4HD, 6HD, 9HD, 12HD and 16HD). Their natural armour bonus increases by one for every second Hit Dice about 4HD (at 6HD, 8HD, 10HD, 12HD, 14HD and 16HD).

A joint snake still gets standard ability bonuses for its HD. The stat blocks include a +1 Wisdom bonus at 4 HD, a +1 Intelligence bonus at 8 HD, another +1 Wisdom bonus at 12 HD and a +1 Constitution bonus at 16 HD, as mentioned above.

A joint snake womb-segment has the same attributes as a 1 HD Junior Joint Snake (See below), except it has no bite attack, lacks an Int score and has the same Con score as the mother snake it separated from. The higher Constitution does NOT increase the womb-segment's Fast Healing, which remains at Fast Healing 12. The extra vitality is dedicated to speeding the development of the young. The lack of an intelligence score means the womb-segment has no non-bonus feats or skill ranks.

*Joint Snake Womb-Segment *(Tiny Magical Beast, Hit Dice 1d10+2(7hp)[_7hp to sever_, _up to 1d10+9(14hp) with higher Con_]; Init: +9; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 22(+2 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural) touch 17, flat-footed 17; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-7; Attack/Full Attack: tail +8 melee (1d2); Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks:—; Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., divisible body, fast healing 12, immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent; Saves: Fort +4 [_up to +11 with higher Con_], Ref +7, Will +1; Abilities: Str 10, Dex 21, Con 15, Int –, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Climb +13, Hide +17, Listen +5, Spot +5, Swim +8; Feats: Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB; CR: ½)

*Baby Joint Snake* (Diminutive Magical Beast, Hit Dice ½d10+1(3hp)[_3hp to sever_]; Init: +10; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 25(+4 size, +6 Dex, +5 natural) touch 13, flat-footed 15; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-12; Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d2-1 plus poison) or tail +11 melee (1d2-1); Full Attack: Bite +12 melee (1d2-1 plus poison) and tail +6 melee (1d2-1); Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Divided attacks, poison (Fort DC 11, 1d2/1d2 Con); Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., divisible body, fast healing 12, immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +1; Abilities: Str 8, Dex 23, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +14, Climb +14, Hide +22, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +7; Feats: Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 1)

*Junior Joint Snake* (Tiny Magical Beast, Hit Dice 1d10+1(6hp)[_6hp to sever_]; Init: +9; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 22(+2 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural) touch 17, flat-footed 17; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-7; Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d2) or tail +8 melee (1d2); Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d2) and tail +3 melee (1d2); Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Divided attacks, poison (Fort DC 11, 1d3/1d3 Con); Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., divisible body, fast healing 12, immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +7, Will +1; Abilities: Str 10, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Climb +13, Hide +17, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +8; Feats: Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 1)

*Teenage Joint Snake* (Small Magical Beast, Hit Dice 2d10+2(13hp)[_6hp to sever_]; Init: +8; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 20(+1 size, +4 Dex, +5 natural) touch 15, flat-footed 16 [_head AC 25, touch 20, flat 21_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+0; Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d3+1 plus poison) or tail +7 melee (1d3+1); Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d3+1 plus poison) and tail +2 melee (1d3+1); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Divided attacks, poison (Fort DC 12, 1d4/1d4 Con); Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., divisible body, fast healing 12, immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent; Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7, Will +1; Abilities: Str 14, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Hide +13, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +10; Feats: Improved InitiativeB, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 2)

*Young Adult Joint Snake* (Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice 3d10+6(22hp)[7_hp to sever_]; Init: +8; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 19(+4 Dex, +5 natural) touch 14, flat-footed 15 [_head AC 25, touch 20, flat 21_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+6; Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d4+1 plus poison) or tail +8 melee (1d4+1 to 1d4); Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d4+1 plus poison) and 1-2 tails +6 melee (1d4+1 to 1d4); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Divided attacks, poison (Fort DC 13, 1d6/1d6 Con); Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., divisible body, fast healing 14, immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent; Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +2; Abilities: Str 16, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 1, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Hide +10, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +11; Feats: Improved InitiativeB, Multiattack, Weapon FinesseB, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 3)

*Grown-Up Joint Snake* (Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice 4d10+8(30hp)[_7hp to sever_]; Init: +7; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 18(+3 Dex, +5 natural) touch 13, flat-footed 15 [_head AC 24, touch 19, flat 21_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+8; Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d4+2 plus poison) or tail +8 melee (1d4+2 to 1d4); Full Attack: Bite +9 melee (1d4+2 plus poison) and 1-3 tails +6 melee (1d4+2 to 1d4); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Divided attacks, poison (Fort DC 14, 1d6/1d6 Con); Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., divisible body, fast healing 14, immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent; Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +2; Abilities: Str 18, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +11, Climb +12, Hide +10, Listen +7, Spot +7, Swim +12; Feats: Improved InitiativeB, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 4)

*Veteran Joint Snake* (Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice 6d10+18(51hp)[_8hp to sever_]; Init: +7; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 19(+3 Dex, +6 natural) touch 13, flat-footed 16 [_head AC 25, touch 19, flat 22_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+12; Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+3 plus poison) or tail +12 melee (1d6+3 to 1d4); Full Attack: Bite +13 melee (1d6+3 plus poison) and 1-5 tails +12 melee (1d6+3 to 1d4); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Divided attacks, poison (Fort DC 16, 1d6/1d6 Con); Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., divisible body, fast healing 16, immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent; Saves: Fort +8, Ref +7, Will +3; Abilities: Str 22, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 1, Wis 13, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +11, Climb +14, Hide +11, Listen +8, Spot +7, Swim +14; Feats: Improved InitiativeB, Improved Multiattack, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 5)

*Old 'Un Joint Snake* (Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice 9d10+45(94hp)[_10hp to sever_]; Init: +6; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 18(-1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural) touch 11, flat-footed 16 [_head AC 25, touch 19, flat 23_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +9/+22; Attack: Bite +19 melee (1d8+4 plus poison) or tail +18 melee (1d8+4 to 1d4); Full Attack: Bite +19 melee (1d8+4 plus poison) and 1-8 tails +18 melee (1d8+4 to 1d4); Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Divided attacks, poison (Fort DC 19, 1d8/1d8 Con); Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., divisible body, fast healing 20, immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent; Saves: Fort +11, Ref +10, Will +4; Abilities: Str 28, Dex 15, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +10, Climb +17, Hide +5, Listen +9, Spot +10, Swim +17; Feats: Improved InitiativeB, , Improved Multiattack, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite); CR: 6)

*Antique Joint Snake* (Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice 12d10+72(138hp)[_11hp to sever_]; Init: +6; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 20(-1 size, +2 Dex, +9 natural) touch 11, flat-footed 18 [_head AC 27, touch 18, flat 25_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+28; Attack: Bite +25 melee (1d10+6 plus poison) or tail +25 melee (1d10+6 to 1d4); Full Attack: Bite +25 melee (1d10+6 plus poison) and 1-11 tails +25 melee (1d10+6 to 1d4); Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Divided attacks, poison (Fort DC 22, 1d8/1d8 Con); Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., divisible body, fast healing 22, immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent; Saves: Fort +14, Ref +12, Will +6; Abilities: Str 34, Dex 14, Con 23, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +10, Climb +20, Hide +5, Listen +12, Spot +12, Swim +20; Feats: Improved InitiativeB, , Improved Multiattack, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (tail); CR: 7)

*Great 'Orm Joint Snake* (Huge Magical Beast, Hit Dice 16d10+144(232hp)[_14hp to sever_]; Init: +7; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.; AC: 20(-2 size, +1 Dex, +11 natural) touch 9, flat-footed 19 [_head AC 28, touch 17, flat 27_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +16/+40; Attack: Bite +33 melee (2d6+8 plus poison) or tail +33 melee (2d6+8 to 1d4); Full Attack: Bite +33 melee (2d6+8 plus poison) and 1-15 tails +33 melee (2d6+8 to 1d4); Space/Reach: 15 ft./10 ft.; Special Attacks: Divided attacks, poison (Fort DC 29, 1d10/1d10 Con); Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., divisible body, fast healing 28, immunities (ability harm, disease, poison, sleep, paralysis, polymorph, stunning and mind-affecting powers), low-light vision, panoramic senses, scent; Saves: Fort +19, Ref +13, Will +7; Abilities: Str 42, Dex 13, Con 28, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +9, Climb +24, Hide +0, Listen +14, Spot +14, Swim +24; Feats: Ability Focus (poison), Improved InitiativeB, , Improved Multiattack, Lightning Reflexes, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (bite), Weapon Focus (tail); CR: 9)

*Feat Progression:* [1HD] Weapon Focus (bite), [3HD] Multiattack, [6HD] Improved Multiattack, [9HD] Lightning Reflexes, [12HD] Weapon Focus (tail), [15HD] Ability Focus (poison)

*Abilty Bonus Progression:* [4 HD] +1 Wis, [8 HD] +1 Int, [12 HD] +1 Wis, [16 HD] +1 Con.

*Notes*
The divided attacks and divisible body are a bit complicated, but without them it just ain't a Joint Snake. It should actually be less complex for a DM to run than a Hydra, since they don't need to track the joints' hit points individually, just keep track of the total hps and the number of segments it has been cut into and remember that any single weapon strike can't do more damage than it's segment hp. My first draft of this monster had each segment be a variable size with its own hit points, and the head a "vital spot" that could be targeted separately   – but common sense prevailed!


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## Cleon (Jan 17, 2009)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Dart Snake*

*Dart Snake (Arrowhead Snake)*
Diminutive Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* ½d10+1 (3 hp)
*Initiative:* +11
*Speed:* 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., glide 30 ft. (clumsy)[_See Gliding Flight and Spring Into Flight_]; swim 20 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 24 (+4 size, +7 Dex, +3 natural), touch 21, flat-footed 17
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +1/-12
*Attack:* Head-dart +12 melee (1d3-1/18-20×2 plus poison)
*Full* *Attack:* Head-dart +12 melee (1d3-1/18-20×2 plus poison)
*Space/Reach:* 1 ft./ 0 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Lancehead charge, poison
*Special* *Qualities:* DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], gliding flight, low-light vision, scent, spring into flight
*Saves:* Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 9, Dex 25, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 2
*Skills:* Balance +15, Climb +15, Hide +23*[_+27 in foliage_], Jump +15, Listen +6, Spot +12, Swim +7
*Feats:* Improved Initiative, RunB, Weapon FinesseB
*Environment:* Temperate or warm forests
*Organization:* Solitary, flight (2-12), sheaf (8-16), or quiver (20-40)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 1/3
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 1 HD (Tiny), 2 HD (Small), 3 HD (Medium)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_A slim snake with a flattened body strikingly patterned in greens and browns, its triangular head is shaped just like a barb-less arrowhead, including the sharp edges that taper straight to a pointed tip._

Dart snakes, also called arrowhead snake or javelin snake, are a species very similar to the Jaculi snake of the old world. These are relatively petite for Lumberwood serpents, the above statistics represent the smallest adults (½ HD), who span as little as thirty inches from nose to tail tip and weigh only a couple of ounces. Bigger specimens do exist, nicknamed javelin snakes (1 HD, about 5 feet long and a pound in weight), spear snakes (2 HD, 7-8 feet long, 6-10 pounds in weight) and catapult-bolt snakes (3 HD, 10-12 feet long and 50-80 pounds), although specimens larger than javelin-sized are rare. A typical population of dart snakes is approximately 60% Diminutive dart snakes, 35% Tiny javelin snakes, 4% Small spear snakes and 1% Medium catapult-bolt snakes.

Dart snakes are fast moving snakes that live in and around trees, they can be found in woodlands ranging from warm-temperate to tropical climes. As well as being proficient climbers, dart snakes can use their flattened bodies to glide through the air, both to travel from tree to tree and to attack or flee from other creatures. They are most active in warm weather when the trees are in leaf, since this gives them the benefit of foliage cover and a balmy climate to quicken their cold blood. When the trees are bare and the weather cold, dart snakes will retire to a sheltered spot to enter a state of torpor.

The flattened head of a dart snake is remarkably tough but flexible, with a razor-sharp edge and needlelike point. It requires little work to turn the preserved head of a dart snake into an actual arrowhead or spearhead. These reptiles have venomous fangs, but do not use them to bite their prey, their fangs are set horizontally and protrude from either side of the snake's mouth, so they can inject venom into opponents they slash or stab with their heads. Dart snakes can eat prey larger than they can swallow whole by slicing bits off their victim with the knifelike edges of their head.

These snakes live and hunt communally, a most unusual habit for reptiles. Social position is a simple matter of size, with all the snakes following the lead of the biggest individual. Dart snakes can communicate with each other, mainly through smell and a simple but effective language of body-shape and posture. A colony of dart snakes can number up to two score and cooperates to watch for threats or prey, defend territory and share out kills.

At the end of the spring mating season, the females lay their eggs in communal nests, each of which is guarded by one of the largest snakes. These nests may be close together or far apart, depending on the local terrain and the temperament of their nursemaids, and each may contain anywhere from a dozen to over a hundred eggs. After eight weeks or so, all the eggs in a nest hatch at the same time, and the newborns live under the protection of their nursemaid for a month or so, eating insects and other miniscule prey, before scattering to make their own way in the world.

Juvenile dart snakes lack the specialized leaping muscles and the razor-edged head of the adults, they only acquire these when they grow to a couple of feet in length. Once they reach this size they instinctively seek out others of their kind. They are attracted to the scent of their relatives, so they usually join their parent colony or form a new colony with other near-adults from their mothers' communal laying, whether their own nest or another. Adult dart snakes are quite accepting of strange juveniles, so it's not uncommon for near-adults to bond with neighbouring colonies or pre-adults from alien nests.

*Combat*
Dart snakes will usually be encountered in trees, even a nursemaid snake will prefer to be on low branches overhanging their nest rather than on the ground. They are constantly on the lookout, as soon as one dart snake Spots the approach of creatures which appear to be potential threats or prey it signals to the rest of its colony, and all the snake will Hide and take a full-round action to prime their bodies to Spring Into Flight.

If they judge the creature to be a threat, they usually wait until the creature gets too close for comfort (about thirty feet), and then all the dart snakes Spring into the air and fly away. However, if there is a nearby nursemaid guarding a nest, they may attack instead – the nursemaid is usually one of the largest snakes, so the rest of the colony will follow its lead if it decides to defend the eggs by attacking the intruder(s).

A colony of dart snakes will judge the prey-worthiness of an approaching creature by its size. A group of 4 or so average sized snakes (typically 2 Tiny and 2 Diminutive) will attack creatures up to Small size, at around 6-8 snakes they will consider attacking Medium sized prey, while 15 or more dart snakes will tackle Large victims. To the snakes' minds, this is more a question of their ability to eat the victim than them being able to kill it. The number of opponents is not an issue.

The snakes follow the lead of the colony's largest member, so they act on that individuals initiative. When the potential prey get within the snakes 120 foot range the alpha snake will Springs Into Flight to make a Lancehead charge against its chosen victim, followed by all the other snakes. The dart snakes may not all attack the same victim, but will concentrate upon a few opponents. Those snakes that miss will glide back into the trees to prime themselves for another attack, those that hit will stay with their victim and repeatedly strike them with their venomous head-darts if the creature puts up little resistance, but will Jump into the air and glide for the trees if they suffer more than 25% or so damage from retaliatory attacks from their prey.

*Elastic Body (Ex)*
The amazing elasticity of a dart snake's body allows it to take half damage from falls, and gives it a DR 10 against bludgeoning damage. Slashing and piercing weapons injure a dart snake normally. See also Spring Into Flight, below.

*Gliding Flight (Ex)*
A dart snake glides rather than flies most of the time, hence it is listed with a glide 30 ft (clumsy) movement speed. The snake's gliding flight works like regular flight except that the dark snake can never glide upwards, instead the snake must descend at least 10 feet during each round of gliding. A dart snake can gain altitude while flying when using its Spring Into Flight ability.

*Lancehead Charge (Ex)*
A dart snake's head-dart attack does double damage (2d3-2) in a charge attack, including an attack made with a dive manoeuvre while gliding or the Spring portion of the snake's Spring Into Flight ability.

*Spring Into Flight (Ex)*
A dart snake's super-elastic flesh allows it to store energy by curling its body and tail as a living spring, which it can then release to catapult itself through the air. It takes a full-round action for a dart snake to 'prime' its spring, the dart snake is then reduced to half its normal terrestrial and aquatic speed (to 15 ft land & climb, 10 ft. swim) until it releases the tension in its body.

A dart snake that decides it no longer wants to be primed to Spring Into Flight may relax its body back to a normal state of tension by spending a full-round action.

A primed dart snake can Spring Into Flight as a standard action, during which it jumps 120 feet horizontally or 60 feet straight up. The dart snake can end this movement with a charge attack at any point along the jump, it does not require the normal 30 feet distance of a Dive attack. A dart snake Springs as fast as a javelin, moving so rapidly it can not be struck by normal Attacks of Opportunity; only characters with the Deflect Arrows feat or similar abilities may attempt an AoO against a dart snake during the Spring portion of its Spring Into Flight.

If the dart snake has a Move action remaining after its 120 ft Spring, the snake can expend it to fly 60 ft. with clumsy manoeuvrability under the normal Tactical Aerial Movement rules (so it can dive 120 ft. or climb 30 ft. at 45°, and turn 45° per 10 ft it flies _et cetera_). During this Flight portion of Spring Into Flight, the dart snake is not moving quickly enough to evade opportunity attacks.

*Poison (Ex)*
If a dart snake hits with a head-dart attack, it delivers a venom which deals initial and secondary damage of 1d2 Con if the victim fails a DC 11 Fortitudesave. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 *Skills*
Dart snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Listen checks, a +6 racial bonus on Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Jump checks. In treetops and other areas covered in leaves the Hide bonus improves to +8. Dart snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb and Jump checks, whichever is higher. A dart snake can always choose to take 10 on a Jump check, even if rushed or endangered, and never suffers a doubling of Jump DCs when it lacks a running start. A snake can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. A snake 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.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 10* - You've heard of dart snakes, right? Those vipers that fly through the air like arrows? I reckon they aren't real animals at all. Remember that Evil Priest whose staff turned into a giant cobra? I think them forest goblin shamans turned a bunch of poisoned darts into snakes, then scattered them about the woods to turn honest folk into pincushions.
*DC 15* - Dart snakes don't really fly you know, they flatten their bodies and glide. However, they can launch themselves through the air as fast as a crossbow bolt to pierce their prey with their heads, which have got edges and a point just like an arrowhead. They've got poison teeth sticking out of the sides of their mouths too, so if a dart snake cuts a victim with its head the wound becomes envenomed.
*DC 20* - The worst thing about dart snakes is they attack en masse. We calls a big party of dart snakes a quiver, cause there may be dozens or scores of the cursed beasts, like how many arrows you gets in a quiver. They always follows the biggest snake's lead, so first you'll get a monster as big as a harpoon flying towards ye, then all the other snakes swarming behind 'em in volleys.

*Different Sizes of Dart Snake*
Here are compact stat-blocks for all sizes of Dart Snake, including the non combat worthy juveniles.

*Baby Dart Snake *(Fine Magical Beast, Hit Dice: ¼d10+1 (3hp); Init: +12; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., glide 30 ft.(clumsy)[_See Gliding_], swim 20 ft.; AC: 29(+8 size, +8 Dex, +3 natural) touch 26, flat-footed 21; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-16; Full Attack: Bite +17 melee (1d2-1 plus poison); Space/Reach: ½ ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: poison [_Fort DC11 1/1 Con_]; Special Qualities: DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], gliding flight, low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +10, Will +2; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 27, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +16, Climb +16, Hide +28*[_+32 in foliage_], Jump +16, Listen +6, Spot +12, Swim +7; Feats: Improved Initiative, RunB, Weapon FinesseB; CR: 1/6)

*Dart Snake *(Diminutive Magical Beast, Hit Dice: ½d10+1 (3hp); Init: +11; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., glide 30 ft.(clumsy)[_See Gliding and Spring Into Flight_], swim 20 ft.; AC: 24(+4 size, +7 Dex, +3 natural) touch 21, flat-footed 17; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-12; Full Attack: Head-dart +12 melee (1d3-1/18-20×2 plus poison); Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Lancehead charge [_2d3-2/18-20×2_], poison [_Fort DC11 1d2/1d2 Con_]; Special Qualities: DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], gliding flight, low-light vision, scent, spring into flight; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +9, Will +2; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 25, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +15, Climb +15, Hide +23*[_+27 in foliage_], Jump +15, Listen +6, Spot +12, Swim +7; Feats: Improved Initiative, RunB, Weapon FinesseB; CR: 1/3)

*Javelin Snake *(Tiny Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 1d10+1 (6hp); Init: +6; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., glide 30 ft.(clumsy)[_See Gliding and Spring Into Flight_], swim 20 ft.; AC: 21(+2 size, +6 Dex, +3 natural) touch 18, flat-footed 15; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-7; Full Attack: Head-dart +9 melee (1d4/18-20×2 plus poison); Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Lancehead charge [_2d4/18-20×2_], poison [_Fort DC11 1d3/1d3 Con_]; Special Qualities: DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], gliding flight, low-light vision, scent, spring into flight; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +2; Abilities: Str 11, Dex 23, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +14, Climb +14, Hide +18*[_+22 in foliage_], Jump +14, Listen +6, Spot +12, Swim +8; Feats: Improved Initiative, RunB, Weapon FinesseB; CR: ½)

*Spear Snake *(Small Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (13hp); Init: +5; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., glide 30 ft.(clumsy)[_See Gliding and Spring Into Flight_], swim 20 ft.; AC: 19(+1 size, +5 Dex, +3 natural) touch 16, flat-footed 14; Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+0; Full Attack: Head-dart +7 melee (1d6+3/18-20×2 plus poison); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Lancehead charge [_2d6+6/18-20×2_], poison [_Fort DC12 1d4/1d4 Con_]; Special Qualities: DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], gliding flight, low-light vision, scent, spring into flight; Saves: Fort +4, Ref +8, Will +2; Abilities: Str 15, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Climb +13, Hide +14*[_+18 in foliage_], Jump +13, Listen +6, Spot +12, Swim +10; Feats: Improved Initiative, RunB, Weapon FinesseB; CR: 1)

*Catapult-Bolt Snake *(Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 3d10+6 (22hp); Init: +4; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), climb 20 ft., glide 30 ft.(clumsy)[_See Gliding and Spring Into Flight_], swim 20 ft.; AC: 17(+4 Dex, +3 natural) touch 14, flat-footed 13; Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7; Full Attack: Head-dart +8 melee (1d8+6/18-20×2 plus poison); Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Lancehead charge [_2d8+12/18-20×2_], poison [_Fort DC13 1d6/1d6 Con_]; Special Qualities: DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], gliding flight, low-light vision, scent, spring into flight; Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +3; Abilities: Str 19, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Hide +10*[_+14 in foliage_], Jump +12, Listen +6, Spot +12, Swim +12; Feats: Improved Initiative, RunB, Weapon FinesseB; Weapon Focus (head-dart), CR: 2)

*Notes*
The Dart Snake is not actually a traditional North American monster, but is my interpretation of a legendary Old World serpent, the *Jaculus*.

Jaculi seemed such an excellent fit for a Lumberjack monster that I thought I'd throw them in to play. After all, there are tales of tree snakes that hurl themselves from trees like javelins all around the world, so why can't North America have them too?

There are old stories in Virginia about the Horn Snake, a serpent with a horn on its nose that hurls itself at foes. However that snake is quite different from the Dart Snake I've statted up - a Horn Snake's horn is deadly venomous, and it cannot fly or glide. Furthermore, a Horn Snake often has the horn on its tail-tip instead of its nose, and is often identified as a Hoop Snake, including the ability to roll in a hoop.

There are many different versions of a Jaculus's appearance - many accounts give them wings, others add a single pair of legs like a wyvern, while a few say they have the arrowhead on the tip of their tail and fly backwards to strike their prey. I had to choose one of these options. Legs and wings was too "dragon-ey" (e.g. a common _*medieval bestiary version of a Jaculus*_), I wanted something that was unmistakeably a snake, so that left the question of which end the blade went on, which was far trickier. I was very tempted to put the blade on the tail-tip, since I've got a lot of Lumberjack Serpents with tail-tip weapons and one more would fit in the "family", but I just didn't like the idea of it flying about back-to-front , plus I liked the picture of the Jaculi in the original Fiend Folio, so I opted to make it an arrowhead snake.

It doesn't make any mechanical difference, it's easy enough to call the Head-Dart attack a Tail-Dart instead, with a Lancetail Special Attack, and winged and legged variants are simple enough:

*Winged Dart Snake:* Increase climb speed to 30 ft., change glide 30 ft. (clumsy) to fly 40 ft. (average), reduce swim speed to 10 ft., remove Gliding Flight, distances & aerial manoeuvrability of Spring Into Flight  remain unchanged.

*Winged Bipedal Dart Snake:* Increase land speed and climb speed to 30 ft., change glide 30 ft. (clumsy) to fly 40 ft. (average), reduce swim speed to 10 ft., remove Gliding Flight, distances & aerial manoeuvrability of Spring Into Flight  remain unchanged.


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## freyar (Jan 18, 2009)

These snakes are really wacky!


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## Cleon (Jan 18, 2009)

freyar said:


> These snakes are really wacky!




They sure are, and I've got three more samples of serpentine wackiness to come!

Now I'm a-wondering which of them you think is the wackiest... Hmm, best wait 'til I've finished posting them all.


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## Cleon (Jan 18, 2009)

Oh by the way, I forgot to mention that somefolks identify the species _Farancia erytrogramma_ as being the Hoop Snake, 'cause its got a sharp scale on its tail-tip. It's quite a pretty snake with a black back with red stripes and a pink/red/cream belly. There's a handy li'l webpage with some nice pictures *here*.


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## Cleon (Jan 25, 2009)

Here's the last of the Lumberwood serpents. None of them are based on traditional tall tales, being sourced from modern-day yarns and my own deranged imagination.

Next up I'll be returning to some interpretations of old-fashioned Fearsome Critters.


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## Cleon (Jan 25, 2009)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Bedspring Snake*

*Bedspring Snake (Pogo Snake)*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 3d10+6 (22 hp)
*Initiative:* +7
*Speed:* 20 ft. (4 squares)[4_0-120 ft. with bouncing speed_], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.[2_0-60 ft. with bouncing speed_]
*Armor* *Class:* 18 (+3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 15 [_+2 dodge when using bouncing speed, giving it AC 20, touch 15, flat-footed 15_]
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +3/+7
*Attack:* Tail +8 melee (1d8+4) or bite +7 melee (1d4+4 plus poison)
*Full* *Attack:* Tail +8 melee (1d8+4) and bite +3 melee (1d4+2 plus poison) *or* bite +7 melee (1d4+4 plus poison) and tail +3 melee (1d8+2)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Constrict 1d8+6 or 1d8+2, fore-and-aft attack, improved grab, poison
*Special* *Qualities:* Bouncing speed, DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], low-light vision, scent
*Saves:* Fort +5, Ref +6[_+8 with bouncing speed_], Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 19, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
*Skills:* Balance +11, Climb +12, Jump +16[_+20/36/52 when bouncing, +10/+20/+24 if swimming_], Hide +10, Listen +5, Spot +8, Swim +12
*Feats:* Improved Initiative, MobilityB*, RunB*, Spring AttackB*, Weapon Focus (tail) [_*these bonus feats only apply when using bouncing speed_]
*Environment:* Warm deserts and hills
*Organization:* Solitary, pair, nest (1-2 adults plus 2-20 eggs or young), mattress (2-12) or hostelry (4-40)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 3
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 4-6 HD (Medium), 7-12 (Large)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_Moving towards you in a most peculiar fashion is a big snake patterned like a diamondback rattler but very different in shape. The varmint is twisted like a corkscrew, and seems to prefer bouncing about like a spring rather than slithering on its belly like the gods intended serpents!_

Bedspring snakes, also known as bouncing snakes, springing rattlers or corkscrew snakes (although the latter properly refers to a related species), are sometimes called Pogo snakes after their discover, the halfling adventurer-explorer Fabio Manuel Pogo. Like its relative, the hoop snake, a bedspring snake has a peculiar mode of motion, uses its tail as its primary weapon, and can kill and eat sizeable animals, which it swallows piecemeal after cutting into manageable chunks using most un-snake like slicing teeth. A bedspring snake's reflexes are not as amazingly swift as a hoop snake's, but still quick as a viper's, although they compensate for this deficit by being remarkably strong and tough, with tight-meshed scales that rival bronze in hardness.

These reptiles come in fifty or so varieties, most of which are too small to be much threat to humanity. The above stats represent the largest, most dangerous species. On average, such monsters weigh around sixty pounds and measure ten feet from nose to tail. A bedspring snake almost never stretches to its full length, for their bodies naturally curl into a helix or spiral; adopting a linear posture requires an immense muscular effort to untwist itself, which bars the snake from doing much else at the same time. A 10' long snake is most comfortable curled across a span of 2'-5' in either height or length, stretching out to 8' when it needs to reach a distant or tall point. Bedspring snakes spend a lot of time balanced on their tails, both to move about and scout around, they will also balance on their heads, usually as a defensive stance with their erect tail shielding their vulnerable head.

Bedspring snakes get their name from their preferred means of travel. Using specialized sinews and muscles of enormous elasticity, the snake twists itself into a tight helix then unleashes the stored energy to bounce across the landscape like a hyperactive kangaroo. A bedspring snake can amplify the frequency and power of its springing until it's moving twice as fast as a racehorse – over sixty miles per hour! – and can keep up this speed for long periods, due to the efficiency with which its elastic body stores and releases energy. They use their fantastic speed to chase down victims, who they leap upon and enwrap in their coils, which then contract with the terrible force of a steel garrote.

Like many desert animals, bedspring snakes are surprising good swimmers and have no trouble navigating the temporary pools or rivers that litter the desert after flash floods. They can use their peculiar musculature to spin through the water, a most peculiar means of travel that is quite baffling to observe, but evidently efficient going by the remarkable swimming speed such snakes can attain.

Bedspring snakes are the most sociable serpents in the lumberjack's bestiary, congregating together to breed and to sleep through winter or other lean seasons. When a female is ready to mate, it produces a scent that brings eager males from far and wide. Groups of females often gather often when in season, so a veritable snake orgy may result. Once they've sighted each other, a bedspring snake will indicate its amorous interest by emitting high-pitched metallic squeaks. The males then compete for the favour of the choicest females by bouncing up and down while whistling like love-struck teakettles. The females judge their suitors by the height and stamina of their jumps, which gives them a good idea of their fitness. Bedspring snakes use the same basic technique to settle other challenges, mainly disputes over territory, while voicing different pitches of whistle and hisses and without the passionate squeaks. Such quarrels are far more likely to end in violence than a courtship contest, since instead of female observers being the arbitrator the opponents are their own judges.

After making their selection, the female and her chosen mate coil around each other so their helical bodies have a common axis and begin to couple, which can continue for an hour or more. Some druids who have experienced such a pairing via shape-shifting or telepathy report it was a truly transcendental experience, leading to the formation of a number of small snake-worshipping cults that revere the double helix as the symbol and origin of life. Clearly, this belief has no scholarly justification, so every knowledgeable sage spurns this unscientific superstition.

What happens next is most unusual, for the two snakes form a pair bond such as is found amongst birds and mammals, rather than going their separate ways as is the common reptilian custom. Bedspring snakes are not notable for fidelity, many mated pair split up before the young leave the nest, and there's a good chance one or both partners have gone slithering away for illicit liaisons with other serpents.

Bedspring snakes are highly aggressive and show no compunctions about attacking humanoids if angered or hungry. The best time to observe them safely is during their mating rites, when they have other things on their minds.

*Combat*
Unlike regular snakes, a bedspring snake is considered a tall creature in combat, since it can stand on its head or tail to strike at foes.

A bedspring snake won't take the offensive against creatures larger than itself. It can't get its tail around such opponents, so can only bite them in self defence or flee. They'll enthusiastically attack opponents it's own size or less, which it considers prey-sized.

The snake closes with its selected victim as fast as it can, probably using Bouncing Speed, then whips its tail around them in an Improved Grab, trying to set up a Constrict attack. Bedspring snakes usually reserve their bite attack and Poison to subdue prey who put up a strong resistance to their initial tail attack, or other opponents who seek to interfere with their attacks upon their chosen prey.

Although it's a vicious and persistent combatant, a bedspring snake is not foolish enough to fight to the end, and their incredible Bouncing Speed is a great aid for escaping from a battle which turns against it.

*Bouncing Speed (Ex)*
A bedspring snake can increase its land and swim speeds by bouncing. First, the snake must spend a standard action storing elastic energy in its body. A bedspring snake can store such energy for up to a day and it does not otherwise affect its activities. Thus, an encountered bedspring snake will almost always be primed to Bounce. Thereafter, the bedspring snake can initiate Bouncing Speed as a move action, which increases the snake's land speed to 40 ft. – the move action includes a movement at the snake's boosted speed. The snake can use another standard action on any subsequent round to increase its speed to a _double bounce_ speed of 80 ft. on land or 40 ft swimming, then another standard action to move at triple bounce rate of 120 ft. or 60 ft. swim. The standard actions include a movement at the snake's _previous_ speed – e.g. A bedspring snake performing a _double bounce_ moves 40 ft (or swim 20 ft.) during the standard action, but may use its move action that round to move 40 ft *before* the speed-switching standard move or 80 ft. (or swim 40 ft.) *after* the acceleration.

While using Bouncing Speed a bedspring snake receives a +2 dodge bonus to AC and Reflex saves, but it must make a move action every round its Bouncing Speed is active, so a Bouncing snake is unable to make a full attack. Decelerating from Bouncing Speed costs a move action for every speed stage reduced, thus it needs three move actions to switch from _triple bounce_ to a conventional serpentine slither. The snake can choose either speed to move during the deceleration move action – e.g. a bedspring snake decelerating from _double bounce_ to basic bouncing speed may move from 80 ft. to 40 ft. during that move action, or swim 20-40 ft.

Whenever it is using Bouncing Speed, a bedspring snake gains the use of the Mobility, Run and Spring Attack feats as bonus feats.

*Constrict (Ex)*
On a successful grapple check, a bedspring snake deals 1d8+6 points of damage assuming the Constrict is the primary or the sole attack. See Fore-and-Aft Attack, below, for further details.

*Elastic Body (Ex)*
The amazing elasticity of a Bedspring snake's body allows it to take half damage from falls, and gives it a DR 10 against bludgeoning damage. Slashing and piercing weapons injure a bedspring snake normally.

*Fore-and-Aft Attack (Ex)*
A bedspring snake can make a Constrict attack and a bite attack as a full attack action, with one attack being considered a primary attack and the other a secondary attack. If the Constrict is the secondary attack it has a -5 to the grapple check and does only 1d8+2 damage. The attacks need not be at the same target. The snake still needs a victim grappled within its tail to use Constrict.

*Improved Grab (Ex)*
To use this ability, a bedspring snake must hit an opponent its own size or smaller with its tail 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 Constrict.

*Poison (Ex)*
A bedspring snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con if the victim fails a DC 13 Fortitudesave. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 *Skills*
Bedspring snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen and Spot checks, a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks and a +12 racial bonus on Jump checks. A bedspring snake suffers no penalty to Jump checks when its speed is lower than 30 ft, although it still receives a bonus for higher speeds, nor does it suffer a doubling of Jump DCs when it lacks a running start, they also have the same vertical reach for high jumps as a biped. Bedspring snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb and Jump checks, whichever is higher, and can always choose to take 10 on Climb and Jump check, even if rushed or threatened. A snake 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.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 13* - Sure I can tell you about the bedspring snake. They looks like a rattlesnake that's been twisted into a bedspring, and they hops about on their tails. Them snakes' got poison teeth just like a rattler, but don't have a rattle. They can hopalong real fast, twice as fast as a horse I reckon.
*DC 18* - Now a bedspring snake may have a poisonous mouth like a rattler, but it catches prey with its tail. The snake jumps up to settle its coils around a victim, then squeezes tight as a wire snare. They's so strong they sometimes twist their prey's head off or pinches them in half. Course, being as how their bodies are curled like a spring only the big snakes can get their tails around a man-sized victim, so you don't need to worry much about the little ones you's most likely to meet, they ain't big enough to fancy eating folks. Still, even a little bedspring snake's a tough customer, for they's got scales so hard it's like they's wearing a coat of mail.
*DC 23* - If you meet one bedspring snake, keep an eye out for others. These snakes mostly move in with their mates, they don't just love 'em and leave 'em. They pick their mates anew each year at snake jamborees, where snakes gather from miles around, wound up with passion. I've seen it meself and it's quite a sight, all them snakes hopping about like crazy. They also gather together in caves to wait out droughts and winters. Best I can tell, the higher a bedspring snake can jump the higher its authority over other snakes. I knew a bloke once who said he'd walked into a passel of enormous bedspring snakes a-lairing in a gulch, and he jumped so high from terror it really impressed the snakes, who then left him in peace. Course he was crazy, so you might not want to try that yourself.

 *All Sizes of Bedspring Snakes*
Here are stats covering all known varieties of bedspring snakes up to the maximum size, including the small relatively harmless species and immature specimens of the largest species.

*Diminutive Bedspring Snake *(Diminutive Magical Beast, Hit Dice: ½d10+1 (3hp); Init: +10; Speed: 15 ft. (3 squares)[_30-90 ft. if bouncing_], climb 15 ft., swim 15 ft.[15_-45 ft. if bouncing_]; AC: 25(+4 size, +6 Dex, +5 natural) touch 20, flat-footed 19 [_+2 dodge for AC 27 touch 22 flat 21 if bouncing_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/+-12; Attack: Tail +11 melee (1d3-1) or bite +11 melee (1 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +11 melee (1d3-1) and bite +6 melee (1 plus poison) *or* bite +11 melee (1 plus poison) and tail +6 melee (1d3-1); Space/Reach: 1 ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d3-1, fore-and-aft attack, improved grab, poison[_bite, DC11 or 1d4/1d4 Con_]; Special Qualities: Bouncing speed, DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +8[_+10 if bouncing_], Will +1; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 23, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +14, Climb +14, Jump +18[_+18/30/42 when bouncing, +12/+22/+26 if swimming_], Hide +23, Listen +5, Spot +8, Swim +7; Feats: Improved Initiative, MobilityB*, RunB*, Spring AttackB*, Weapon FinesseB [_*only usable bouncing_]; CR: ½)

*Tiny Bedspring Snake *(Tiny Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 1d10+1 (6hp); Init: +9; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)[_40-120 ft. if bouncing_], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.[2_0-60 ft. if bouncing_]; AC: 22(+2 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural) touch 17, flat-footed 17 [_+2 dodge for AC 24 touch 19 flat 17 if bouncing_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-7; Attack: Tail +8 melee (1d4) or bite +8 melee (1d2 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +8 melee (1d4) and bite +3 melee (1d2 plus poison) *or* bite +8 melee (1d2 plus poison) and tail +3 melee (1d4); Space/Reach: 2½ ft./0 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d4, fore-and-aft attack, improved grab, poison[_bite, DC11 or 1d4/1d4 Con_]; Special Qualities: Bouncing speed, DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +7[_+9 if bouncing_], Will +1; Abilities: Str 11, Dex 21, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Climb +13, Jump +17[_+21/37/53 when bouncing, +11/+21/+25 if swimming_], Hide +18, Listen +5, Spot +8, Swim +8; Feats: Improved Initiative, MobilityB*, RunB*, Spring AttackB*, Weapon FinesseB [_*only usable bouncing_]; CR: 1)

*Small Bedspring Snake *(Small Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 2d10+4 (15hp); Init: +8; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)[_40-120 ft. if bouncing_], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.[2_0-60 ft. if bouncing_]; AC: 20(+1 size, +4 Dex, +5 natural) touch 15, flat-footed 16 [_+2 dodge for AC 22 touch 17 flat 16 if bouncing_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+0; Attack: Tail +7 melee (1d6+2) or bite +7 melee (1d3+2 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +7 melee (1d6+2) and bite +2 melee (1d3+1 plus poison) *or* bite +7 melee (1d3+4 plus poison) and tail +2 melee (1d6+2); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d6+3 or 1d6+1, fore-and-aft attack, improved grab, poison[_bite, DC12 or 1d4/1d4 Con_]; Special Qualities: Bouncing speed, DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +4, Ref +7[_+9 if bouncing_], Will +1; Abilities: Str 15, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Jump +16[_+20/36/52 when bouncing, +10/+20/+24 if swimming_], Hide +16, Listen +5, Spot +8, Swim +10; Feats: Improved Initiative, MobilityB*, RunB*, Spring AttackB*, Weapon FinesseB [_*only usable bouncing_]; CR: 2)

*Medium Bedspring Snake *(Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 3d10+6 (22hp); Init: +7; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)[_40-120 ft. if bouncing_], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.[2_0-60 ft. if bouncing_]; AC: 18(+3 Dex, +5 natural) touch 13, flat-footed 15 [_+2 dodge if bouncing for AC 20 touch 15 flat 15_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7; Attack: Tail +8 melee (1d8+4) or bite +7 melee (1d4+4 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +8 melee (1d8+4) and bite +2 melee (1d4+2 plus poison) *or* bite +7 melee (1d4+4 plus poison) and tail +3 melee (1d8+2); Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 1d8+6 or 1d8+2, fore-and-aft attack, improved grab, poison[_bite, DC13 or 1d6/1d6 Con_]; Special Qualities: Bouncing speed, DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6[_+8 if bouncing_], Will +2; Abilities: Str 19, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +11, Climb +12, Jump +16[_+20/36/52 when bouncing, +10/+20/+24 if swimming_], Hide +10, Listen +5, Spot +8, Swim +12; Feats: Improved Initiative, MobilityB*, RunB*, Spring AttackB*, Weapon Focus (tail) [_*only usable bouncing_]; CR: 3)

*Large* *Bedspring Snake *(Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 7d10+35 (73hp); Init: +6; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)[_40-120 ft. if bouncing_], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.[2_0-60 ft. if bouncing_]; AC: 18(-1 size, +2 Dex, +7 natural) touch 11, flat-footed 16 [_+2 dodge if bouncing for AC 20 touch 13 flat 16_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+19; Attack: Tail +15 melee (2d6+8) or bite +14 melee (1d6+8 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +15 melee (2d6+8) and bite +9 melee (1d6+4 plus poison) *or* bite +14 melee (1d6+8 plus poison) and tail +10 melee (2d6+4); Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 2d6+12 or 2d6+4, fore-and-aft attack, improved grab, poison[_bite, DC18 or 1d8/1d8 Con_]; Special Qualities: Bouncing speed, DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +10, Ref +7[_+9 if bouncing_], Will +3; Abilities: Str 27, Dex 15, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +10, Climb +16, Jump +20[_+24/40/56 when bouncing, +14/+24/+28 if swimming_], Hide +9, Listen +5, Spot +8, Swim +16; Feats: Improved Initiative, MobilityB*, Power Attack, RunB*, Spring AttackB*, Weapon Focus (tail) [_*only usable bouncing_]; CR: 6)

*Maximized* *Bedspring Snake *(Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 12d10+60(126hp); Init: +7; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares)[_40-120 ft. if bouncing_], climb 20 ft., swim 20 ft.[2_0-60 ft. if bouncing_]; AC: 19(-1 size, +3 Dex, +7 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 16 [_+2 dodge if bouncing for AC 21 touch 14 flat 16_]; Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+25; Attack: Tail +21 melee (2d6+9) or bite +20 melee (1d6+9 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +21 melee (2d6+9) and bite +15 melee (1d6+4 plus poison) *or* bite +20 melee (1d6+9 plus poison) and tail +16 melee (2d6+4); Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.; Special Attacks: Constrict 2d6+13 or 2d6+4, fore-and-aft attack, improved grab, poison[_bite, DC21 or 1d8/1d8 Con_]; Special Qualities: Bouncing speed, DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +13, Ref +13[_+15 if bouncing_], Will +7; Abilities: Str 28, Dex 16, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +11, Climb +17, Jump +22[_+26/42/58 when bouncing, +16/+26/+30 if swimming_], Hide +12, Listen +5, Spot +10, Swim +17; Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, MobilityB*, Power Attack, RunB*, Spring AttackB*, Weapon Focus (tail) [_*only usable bouncing_]; CR: 8)

*Feat Progression: *[1HD] Improved Initiative, MobilityB*, RunB*, Spring AttackB*, Weapon FinesseB, [3HD] Weapon Focus (tail), [6HD] Power Attack, [9HD] Iron Will, [12HD] Lightning Reflexes


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## Cleon (Jan 25, 2009)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Corkscrew Snake*

*Corkscrew Snake (Screw Worm)*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 3d10+6 (22 hp)
*Initiative:* +7
*Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 5 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 60 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 18 (+3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 15
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +3/+7
*Attack:* Tail +8 melee (1d8+4) or bite +7 melee (1d4+4 plus poison)
*Full* *Attack:* Tail +8 melee (1d8+4) and bite +3 melee (1d4+2 plus poison) *or* bite +7 melee (1d4+4 plus poison) and tail +3 melee (1d8+2)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Corkscrew, fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison
*Special* *Qualities:* DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], hold breath, low-light vision, scent
*Saves:* Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 19, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
*Skills:* Balance +11, Climb +12, Jump +16 [_+24 swimming_], Hide +10, Listen +5, Spot +8, Swim +12
*Feats:* Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (tail)
*Environment:* Temperate forests, swamps and freshwater
*Organization:* Solitary, pair or nest (1-2 adults plus 2-20 eggs or young)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 3
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 4-6 HD (Medium), 7-12 (Large)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_The tail of this sizeable snake is shaped just like a woodscrew, with a twisted, sharpened edge running its entire length, to end in a dagger-like point. It curls like a corkscrew when it moves, rather than slithering from side-to-side like a normal snake._

A close relative of the bedspring snake is the corkscrew snake, sometimes called the screw worm. Rather than strangling its prey, this serpent impales them with the bladed tip of its tail and then twists its helical body into the wound. A typical specimen is ten feet in length and 60 pounds in weight.

Corkscrew snakes are not desert-dwellers like the bedspring snake, indeed they prefer areas with plenty of water and tree cover. They often lair on the banks of freshwater bodies of inside small isles or hollowed-out logs in swampy areas.

While corkscrew snakes can't bounce along like a bedspring snake, they can slither faster by rapidly straightening and coiling their bodies and swim at great speed by literally screwing their way through the water. In addition, they can burrow tail-first through earth and soft wood, and use this ability to excavate lairs.

A corkscrew snake normally travels with tail pointing forward, ready to attack or fight off any creature it encounters. They are one of the most vicious serpents known to Lumberjack Lore, a screw worm would rather assault a perceived threat than flee it.

These serpents form pair bonds like a bedspring snake, but do not socialize in larger groups. Encounters between corkscrew snakes that are not mated or courting often end in bloodshed when ritualized threats and tail-menacing fail.

*Combat*
A corkscrew snake usually initiates an attack by charging or jumping from cover and trying to Impale an opponent with its tail. If successful, it will then start a Corkscrew attack as soon as possible. A corkscrew snake facing multiple opponents tries to use Fore-and-Aft Attack to engage two foes at once, normally it uses its tail as its primary attack if it has yet to Impale a victim, and its bite as its primary attack if it's already Corkscrewing.

These reptiles are pugnacious, so rarely consider retreat unless they've taken serious damage (half hit points or more), or their foe is obviously overwhelming.

Note that corkscrew snakes, like their cousins the bedspring, shipborer and rockdrill snake, have the Reach of a tall creature, not a long one.

*Corkscrew (Ex)*
A corkscrew snake can automatically inflict its tail damage (1d8+4) at the start of its turn to a any creature it is impaling. The snake can double its tail damage (to 2d8+8) by making a successful grapple check (see Impale, below).

*Elastic Body (Ex)*
The amazing elasticity of a corkscrew snake's body allows it to take half damage from falls, and gives it a DR 10 against bludgeoning damage. Slashing and piercing weapons injure a corkscrew snake normally.

*Fore-and-Aft Attack (Ex)*
A corkscrew snake can make a Corkscrew attack and a bite attack as a full attack action, with one attack being considered a primary attack and the other a secondary attack. If the Corkscrew is the secondary attack it has a -5 to the grapple check and does only 1d8+2 damage. The attacks need not be at the same target. The snake still needs a victim grappled within its tail to use Corkscrew.

*Hold Breath (Ex)
*A corkscrew snake can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 × its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

*Impale (Ex)*
To use this ability, a corkscrew snake must hit an opponent with its tail 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 Corkscrew.

A corkscrew snake can automatically extract its tail from an impalement by spending a Move action. Another creature can twist a corkscrew snake out of its victim as a standard action by succeeding in a grapple check against a DC of 20 or the snake's grapple check, whichever is greater. The tail of a dead or incapacitated snake can be extracted from the victim with a DC 15 Heal check.

Every time a creature makes a grapple or Heal check to extract the snake's tail, the impaled victim takes the snake's normal tail damage (1d8+4) unless the attempt succeeds by a margin of 10 or more.

*Poison (Ex)*
A corkscrew snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con if the victim fails a DC 13 Fortitudesave. The save DC is Constitution-based.

 *Skills*
Corkscrew snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen and Spot checks, a +8 racial bonus on Balance and Climb checks and a +12 racial bonus on Jump checks. A corkscrew snake suffers no penalty to Jump checks when its speed is lower than 30 ft, although it still receives a bonus for higher speeds, nor does it suffer a doubling of Jump DCs when it lacks a running start, they also have the same vertical reach for high jumps as a biped. Corkscrew snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb and Jump checks, whichever is higher. A snake can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. A snake 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.

 *Lore Checks*
*DC 13* - Let me tell you a tale. I was with a posse chasing Swampy Pete in the woods. We'd just about caught up with him when a corkscrew snake leapt from a pile of brush to skewer Pete in the belly with its tail. We ran up as Pete started yelling cause the snake'd begun spinning round to drill into Pete's guts. I grabbed hold of the corkscrew snake to pull it out, but it just wrapped its tail deep in Pete's insides and made him yell like his soul was afire, and then the damn thing bit me! But then Big Oscar – you know Oscar, the blacksmith? –came up and took hold of that snake, and pulled it between his hands so hard it stretched out straight as a poker, and he got it out of Pete smooth as anything. It was too late for Swampy Pete by then, he bled to death like a stuck pig. We all felt real sorry for Pete, even a dirty rotten horse-thief who smelt worse than a skunk like him didn't deserve to be fatally screwed like that.
*DC 18* - Corkscrew snakes are no faster than a man on foot, so if you spot one before it's close enough to leap at you – say thirty feet or so – it's easy enough to escape by taking to your heels. However, they can spin through water faster than a torpedo fish can swim. and often leap out of lakes and such to attack fishermen standing on the shore or in their boats. I heard tell of corkscrew snake sinking a punt by drilling holes in its hull, but never saw that myself.
*DC 23* - Knew a fellow once who had a corkscrew snake as a familiar. Told me they can tunnel through stuff if its soft enough by drilling in with their tails, and they do this to dig out lairs in the ground or softwood trees. They mate in pairs like birds, he said, and are right vicious when defending their mates and eggs. Course, them screw worms is vicious enough at the best of times. Worst of all, he told me, is if them eggs have hatched, then you risk getting drilled by a dozen or two baby screw worms and their mammy and pappy! Last I heard he's a waiter now, and uses his familiar to open wine bottles.

*Different Sizes of Corkscrew Snakes*
It's an easy matter to convert the sample stat blocks of bedspring snakes into corkscrew snakes. Increase its land speed to 30 ft (6 squares) and its swim speed to 60 ft, remove Bouncing Speed, Constrict and Improved Grab, plus all the abilities derived from them, and add Corkscrew, Hold Breath and Impale. The snake has the same skills and feats, except for losing the bonus feats from Bouncing Speed. Its Jump skill bonus while swimming is equal to a bedspring snake's Jump skill bonus when swimming with bouncing speed at maximum.

*Shipborer Snake*
Shipborer snakes are marine cousins to the corkscrew snake. They are very similar in appearance and habits to regular screw worms, but grow far bigger in size; an average-sized individual being around 20' in length (7HD Large-sized) and 500 pounds in weight, while record specimens can reach over 60 feet in length.. These serpents are a coastal species, for they have few adaptations to a saltwater life. While they have special glands to excrete excess salt from their bodies, they lack a true sea-snakes ability to snatch sleep between breaths of air, so must land on a bank or return to land to rest.

Shipborer snakes earn their name, for they can hole even a sturdy ship with a few moments work with their tailscrews. Fortunately, such attacks are rare since these reptiles are seldom aggressive unless provoked. Shipborer snakes hunt large aquatic animals, with a particular taste for marine mammals such as dugongs, seals, porpoises or even whales.

Use the same stats as a Corkscrew snake, except for the following changes:

*Speed:* 20 ft. (4 squares), burrow 5 ft, climb 20 ft, swim 60 ft.
*Environment: *Temperate or warm aquatic
*Skills:* Reduce basic Jump bonus by 4, its Jump bonus while swimming does not change. A shipborer snake suffers normal penalties to Jump checks for low speed or a stationary start. It only gains a vertical jump reach equal to a biped when jumping from the water.
*Advancement:* 3-6 HD (Medium), 7-12 HD (Large), 13-21HD (Huge)

*Huge Shipborer Snake *(Huge Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 13d10+91(162hp); Init: +6; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), burrow 5 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 60 ft.; AC: 21(-2 size, +3 Dex, +10 natural) touch 11, flat-footed 18; Base Attack/Grapple: +13/+34; Attack: Tail +25 melee (3d6+13) or bite +24 melee (1d8+13 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +25 melee (3d6+13) and bite +19 melee (1d8+6 plus poison) *or* bite +24 melee (1d8+13 plus poison) and tail +20 melee (3d6+6); Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.; Special Attacks: Corkscrew, fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison[_bite, DC23 or 1d10/1d10 Con_]; Special Qualities: DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], hold breath, low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +7; Abilities: Str 36, Dex 14, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +10, Climb +21, Jump +22[_+34 if swimming_], Hide +8, Listen +5, Spot +10, Swim +21; Feats: Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (tail); CR: 8)

*Maximized Shipborer Snake *(Huge Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 21d10+168(283hp); Init: +6; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), burrow 5 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 60 ft.; AC: 21(-2 size, +3 Dex, +10 natural) touch 11, flat-footed 18; Base Attack/Grapple: +21/+42; Attack: Tail +25 melee (4d6+13) or bite +24 melee (2d6+13 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +25 melee (4d6+13) and bite +19 melee (2d6+6 plus poison) *or* bite +24 melee (2d6+13 plus poison) and tail +20 melee (4d6+6); Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.; Special Attacks: Corkscrew, fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison[_bite, DC25 or 1d10/1d10 Con_]; Special Qualities: DR 10/slashing or piercing, elastic body[_half falling damage_], hold breath, low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +15, Ref +12, Will +7; Abilities: Str 36, Dex 14, Con 26, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +10, Climb +21, Jump +22[_+34 if swimming_], Hide +16, Listen +5, Spot +14, Swim +21; Feats: Ability Focus (poison), Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (tail), Improved Natural Attack (bite), Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (tail); CR: 11)

*Feat Progression: *[1HD] Improved Initiative, Weapon FinesseB, [3HD] Weapon Focus (tail), [6HD] Power Attack, [9HD] Iron Will, [12HD] Lightning Reflexes, [15HD] Improved Natural Attack (tail), [18HD] Ability Focus (poison), [21HD] Improved Natural Attack (bite)


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## Cleon (Jan 25, 2009)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Rockdrill Snake*

*Rockdrill Snake (Mine Worm)*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 3d10+12 (28 hp)
*Initiative:* +7
*Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 30 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 21 (+3 Dex, +8 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 18
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +3/+7
*Attack:* Tail +9 melee (1d8+4/19-20×3) or bite +8 melee (1d4+4 plus poison)
*Full* *Attack:* Tail +9 melee (1d8+4/19-20×3) and bite +3 melee (1d4+2 plus poison) *or* bite +8 melee (1d4+4 plus poison) and tail +4 melee (1d8+2/19-20×3)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Adamantine weapons, ambush tunnel, fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison, tail-drill
*Special* *Qualities:* Adamantine scales, blindsight 30 ft., damage resistance 3/– plus 10/magic, eyeless, hold breath, scent arcane, tremorsense 120 ft.
*Saves:* Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 19, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2
*Skills:* Balance +11, Climb +12, Jump +12, Hide +7, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Spot +7, Swim +12
*Feats:* Improved Initiative, Improved SunderB, Weapon Focus (tail)
*Environment:* Subterranean
*Organization:* Solitary, pair or nest (1-2 adults plus 2-20 eggs or young)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 4
*Treasure:* standard coins (90% chance of nuggets instead of coins), standard goods (gems), 100% items (see below)
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 4-6 HD (Medium), 7-12 (Large)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_A horrible serpent like an eyeless worm with granite skin, its tail bears a spiralling mass of sharp points and cutting ridges that bear an uncanny resemblance to a drill bit._

Rockdrill snakes, or mine worms as they're also called, are a mysterious breed of subterranean serpent that can bore through solid stone as fast as a man can run. An average individual is some ten feet long, and weighs a hundred and twenty pounds.

These mining worms appear to be related to the fearsome corkscrew snake, but are even more dangerous. Rockdrill snakes have unnaturally tough and dense flesh, that is almost as heavy as the rock they drill through, which makes them exceedingly difficult to damage with non-magical weapons. They can propel themselves through water by spinning like a screw-propeller, similar to a corkscrew snake but not as fast, but sink like a stone when they make no effort to swim.

The burrowing ability of a rockdrill snake is as much supernatural as mechanical, they can excavate an open tunnel through solid stone or close the rock behind them as solidly as if they'd never passed through, leaving only an odd, melted-looking scar on the rock.

Rockdrill snakes are eyeless and thus completely blind, but more than make up for this lack by possessing a suite of uncanny senses, including blindsight and tremorsense. The most incredible of these senses is the ability to literally smell metal, mineral deposits and magical auras through solid rock, using their tongue and arcane scent-pits in the roof of their mouth.

*Combat*
Note that the Space/Reach of a Rockdrill snakes uses the superior Reach of a tall creature, not a long one, like all serpents of the bedspring and corkscrew snake family.

A rockdrill snake usually attacks from an Ambush Tunnel in the wall of a cavern or passage, where they've been waiting for a victim to pass by. The snake leaps out and tries to impale their prey with their tail, their Jump DC is not doubled for leaping from a "standing start", since the snake will have coiled themselves in preparation (see under *Skills*).

If they succeed in Impaling the target they will strive to Tail-Drill them until the poor sod perishes, only using their bite in a Fore-and-Aft Attack if they experience resistance.

Many rockdrill snakes are so secure in their adamantine toughness that they make little effort to avoid attacks. If slightly injured, the offended snake's first instinct is to attack whatever creature or object wounded them; their Improved Sunder bonus feat allows them to destroy most weapons with terrifying ease. A significantly wounded rockdrill snake (say, 25-50% damage) usually flees unless it is defending its mate or young. Since a mine worm can flee a combat by tunneling into the rock, they rarely fail to escape.

It may seem odd that such a tough monster will flee upon suffering only moderate injuries. Partly this is simple survival, but another factor is the rockdrill snake's adamantine skin means that it is not accustomed to combat injuries, so the unusual experience of pain by itself may be enough to demoralize it. Certainly, _cause fear_ and similar spells are a useful method of driving away an attacking rockdrill snake.

A few veteran rockdrill snakes have learned that magical weapons represent a threat that penetrates their damage resistance more easily, and will single out such weapons or their bearers as the first target of their attacks. Particularly cunning ones will even pick off dangerous foes with hit-and-run attacks from out of the very rock their enemies are standing upon. Such crafty specimens are understandably widely feared by the underdark's denizens.

*Adamantine Scales (Su)*
A rockdrill snake's scales are of supernatural hardness, giving it a damage reduction of 3/– plus 10/magic (i.e. reduce the damage of magical weapons by 3 points, non-magical weapons by 10 points). Rockdrill snakes of different sizes have different values for this damage resistance. This quality only lasts while the snake is alive, within minutes of a rockdrill snake dying its scales lose all their Damage Resistance and their natural armour bonus is reduced by 3 points, to +5.

*Adamantine Weapons (Su)*
A rockdrill snake's bite and tail attacks both strikes as an adamantine weapon, with a +1 enhancement bonus to attack and ignoring hardness less than 20. The snake's jaws and tail-drill lose these properties within minutes of the creature's death.

Immature rockdrill snake have less effective adamantine scales and weaponry. See *Different Sizes of Rockdrill Snake*, below, for details.

*Ambush Tunnel (Ex)[Su*]*
Rockdrill snakes have a supernatural power to mould rock with their tails. As well as augmenting their tunneling ability, they use this ability to prepare ambush position, by forming a thin skin of rock to conceal a lair or hunting cyst in the rockface, from which they can leap upon their prey. Noticing such an Ambush Tunnel requires a DC 25 spot check (The DC equals 18 plus the serpent's Hide bonus, based on the snake "taking 10" and gaining a +8 competence bonus). This only notices the odd-looking scar on the rock, it does not identify the nature of the threat (which requires a DC14 Knowledge check in an appropriate field) or determine whether there is actually a rockdrill snake waiting in the Ambush Tunnel (which would require a Listen check or excavation, both of which run the risk of an attack).

A character with stonecunning can apply that bonus to their Spot checks to notice a mine worm's Ambush Tunnel. If they possess skill ranks in Knowledge (geology) or Knowledge (mining) they can substitute that bonus for Spot in the check to notice the scar of the ambush point.

*While the ability to mould an Ambush Tunnel is primarily Supernatural, the ambush position and its concealment is an Extraordinary feature and not in itself magical, so it does not register on _detect magic_ once completed.

*Fore-and-Aft Attack (Ex)*
A rockdrill snake can make a Tail-Drill attack and a bite attack as a full attack action, with one attack being considered a primary attack and the other a secondary attack. If the Tail-Drill is the secondary attack it has a -5 to the grapple check and does only 1d8+2 damage. The attacks need not be at the same target. The snake still needs a victim grappled within its tail to use Tail-Drill.

*Eyeless (Ex)*
Since a rockdrill snake has no eyes, it is naturally immune to all vision-based effects such as gaze weapons and optical illusions.

*Hold Breath (Ex)
*A rockdrill snake can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to 4 × its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

*Impale (Ex)*
To use this ability, a rockdrill snake must hit an opponent with its tail 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 Tail-Drill.

A rockdrill snake can automatically extract its tail from an impalement by spending a Move action. Another creature can twist a rockdrill snake out of its victim as a standard action by succeeding in a grapple check against a DC of 20 or the snake's grapple check, whichever is greater. The tail of a dead or incapacitated snake can be extracted from the victim with a DC 15 Heal check.

Every time a creature makes a grapple or Heal check to extract the snake's tail, the impaled victim takes the snake's normal tail damage (1d8+4) unless the attempt succeeds by a margin of 10 or more.

*Poison (Ex)*
A rockdrill snake has a poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con if the victim fails a DC 15 Fortitudesave. The save DC is Constitution-based.

*Scent Arcane (Su)*
A rockdrill snake possesses a supernatural version of the scent special quality. This gives it all the benefits of the regular scent ability, plus allowing the snake to smell the presence and type of magical auras, metal and mineral deposits within a 60 foot long cone, even through intervening rock, but not beyond heavy metals such as lead or gold. A rockdrill snake can detect the Arcane Scent of metal, minerals or magic with a Wisdom or Survival check, the typical DC is 10 for a Moderate source, ranging between DC 5-20 for the scent of Faint or Strong sources. If this check is successful, The rockdrill snake receives information similar to a _detect_ spell (on the first round it detects the presence or absence of metals/pure minerals/magic and the aura type (e.g. gold ore, Corundum gemstones, Alteration) of the strongest source, on the second round it detect the power/quantity and location of all sources within range, and on the third round it determines the type of these secondary sources.)

Magic auras give off a much stronger "odour" to a rockdrill snake than minerals or metals, and the scent of the latter depends greatly upon purity - a dozen gold coins and a hundred pounds of low-grade gold ore both give off a Faint scent, even though the ore may contain twenty to fifty times as much gold by weight. Typically, 10 coins weight of a pure metal is a Faint scent, 250 coins (5 lbs) is a Moderate scent and 5000 coins (100 lbs) a Strong scent. If 100,000+ coins are present (i.e. 2000 lbs, such as a short ton of pure copper!) the scent is Overwhelming, and the snake can detect it at twice the standard distance (e,g, 120 feet) with a DC10 check, or automatically within its normal 60 ft. range.

*Tail-Drill (Ex)*
A rockdrill snake can automatically inflict its tail damage (1d8+4) at the start of its turn to a any creature it is impaling. The snake can double its tail damage (to 2d8+8) by making a successful grapple check (see Impale, above).

*Skills*
Rockdrill snakes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen, Move Silently and Spot checks and a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb and Jump checks. A rockdrill snake does not suffer a doubling of Jump DCs when it lacks a running start, provided it spends a move action coiling itself beforehand, they also have the same vertical reach for high jumps as a biped. Rockdrill snakes use either their Strength modifier or Dexterity modifier for Climb and Jump checks, whichever is higher. A snake can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. A snake 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.

*Ecology*
Not much is known about these creatures, who usually dwell in the rock around those eldritch subterranean worlds known as underdarks, only occasionally venturing up from the depth to plague surface folk in mine shafts. A rockdrill snake eats both meat and minerals, and also requires certain magical radiations to thrive. Thus, these serpents live in strata with lesser subterranean life forms for them to feed upon that are also rich in minerals, especially precious metals from copper to adamantine, and are most common around caverns limned by mysterious "rock lights", such as the Vaults of the Drow.

Even with their adamantine tails, burrowing through bedrock is hard work, so rockdrill snakes don't burrow far unless they have to. They prefer to find a well travelled spot, such as a salt-lick, drinking hole or an underdark merchant's trail or migratory route, and excavate a lair in the nearby rockface from which they strike out at passing prey. Some snakes maintain a small network of tunnels around a lair, and may dig a number of "hunting cysts" to allow them to easily attack prey across a wider territory.

Rockdrill snakes have an instinct to collect treasure, although whether they cache valuables mainly for sustenance or to attract and impress other rockdrill snakes is not clear. The lair of a mine worm usually contains valuable nuggets of precious metal, and maybe a few gems, alchemical items or a magical object. This magpie-like instinct extends to goods the snake has no apparent use for – a rockdrill snake's lair may contain such items as a bullseye lantern, spyglass or thieves' tools. The main limit to a rockdrill snake's treasure is that its contents must be small enough for the snake to carry in its mouth as it burrows, an average sized rockdrill snake only leaves a tunnel 7-8 inches in diameter, which it usually collapses a few feet after its passage.

Rockdrill snakes form mated pairs to breed, like their distant relatives on the surface. Obviously, their reproduction is not timed to the surface seasons, but is keyed to the cycles of subterranean life and geomantic forces. How a pair of snakes find each other is a mystery to surface folk: A rockdrill snake can produce a mystic fragrance that their Arcane Scent can track from an impressive distance, as well as emitting subsonic vibrations that their tremorsense can register from miles away. They use these forms of communication to lay claim to a territory as well as woo mates, although some of predators, such as those fearsome subterranean Hulks no one dare speak the name off, can hear the rockdrill snakes' subsonic calls and prey upon them.

A mated pair of rockdrills only stays together long enough to raise a clutch of young to independence and then breaks up. A rockdrill snake normally couples with a different mate in a subsequent breeding season, but it is not that uncommon for the same two snakes to pair up with each repeatedly time after time, this often occurs when both adult snakes are large and experienced individuals.

The female lays a clutch of 10-20 eggs resembling emeralds the size of small apples. These mature much slower than do eggs laid by surface members of the Tail-Leaping Snake Family, for a rockdrill snake's eggs must spend a long time absorbing geomantic radiations to ripen, so can take from three months to several years to hatch. depending on local conditions. The parent snakes often move their clutch to spots where the Earth's magical flux is particularly strong in order to speed their development, usually moving the eggs again just before they hatch to a spot more suitable for the young. Rockdrill snake eggs have a hard shell but are rather brittle (hardness 3, hp 1), making them easy to break. 

Experienced rockdrill parents sometimes keep their eggs in a nursery chamber burrowed out of the rock until they begin to hatch, then open a tunnel to adjoining caves to free their offspring. They do not bother with this precaution if the nursery site appears free of predatory threats to their infants.

The commonest hatchery sites used by rockdrill snakes are caves filled with pools full of bacterial mats. Such places are teeming with miniscule animals which form an excellent food source for the hatchlings, who can use their speed in the water to evade danger. Such locations are not always available or convenient, and rockdrill snakes often must raise their young in other subterranean environments, such as fungus forests or bat roosts. Bat roosts are a preferred nursery ground, since they tend to have few large predators the parent snakes can't deal with and infants have plenty of guano-fauna to eat, plus any bats who fall from the ceiling. These are one of the few sites where a rockdrill snake will time its breeding to the surface seasons, for the pickings are richest when the bats are raising young in spring and summer. Not only do they produce the greatest quantities of guano to feed the teeming insect life below, but lots of weak, sickly or plain unlucky baby bats will plummet to the cave floor.

A newly hatched rockdrill snake is a Diminutive creature only a foot or so long. Their scales, tail and jaws are no tougher than regular snakes, making them as soft as tissue paper compared to their parents; consequently they lack a tail attack or the ability to burrow through soil, let alone rock. There sole compensation is that they are much faster swimmers than mature rockdrill snakes, being less dense of flesh and with tails fashioned to sculling.

Parent rockdrills do not feed their young, but loiter near the nest while the hatchlings hunt their own food, swiftly coming to their hatchlings' aid should they be threatened by a predator. Both mother and father snakes are extremely protective of their vulnerable eggs and hatchlings, usually taking turns to guard them while the other parent rests or hunts. Rockdrill snakes have been known to track down creatures who have destroyed their eggs or newborn young in order to inflict a vicious revenge.

The baby snakes eat any tiny animals they can catch, vertebrate or invertebrate, and nip bits off any larger carcasses they come across. As they grow they roam farther from the nest and the protection of their parents. By the time the young snakes have grown to Tiny juveniles 4-5' long their tails will have hardened enough to tunnel through soft rock, at which time the parents' protective instincts begin to fade. When the youngsters are 7' long Small adolescents capable of tunneling through hard rock their parents will have lose all affection for them, to be replaced by hostility or even hunger, thus forcing all the surviving adolescent snakes to scatter and make their own way in the underworld.

Their duty done, the mating bond of the parents breaks and they go their separate ways. After a few years the female will begin to call for a mate and the whole process begins again.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 14* - I've heard old miners talk 'bout rockdrill snakes. Dey's jus' like their name says, snakes dat drill through solid rock. Dey can drills right through a feller in an eyeblink. It stands to reason dat a snake dat can tunnel through solid granite fast as a man can run will stab through flesh and bone like a red-hot poker through cheese-curds. Don't try fightin' one of dem underground devil-snakes, jus' run for it. Der bodies is hard as diamond – you could chop one wit an ax an' it won't mind none.
*DC 19* - Look out for strange scars on de rock like it's been melted, dat may mark where a rockdrill snake's covered up a tunnel to lie in wait. A rockdrill snake lies up within de walls or floor of a cave or mine-gallery see, 'til it hears somefolk a-walkin' by, then hit busts out o' de rock an' stabs 'em wit' hits drill-bit tail. Dem snakes offen don't jus' drills clean through a feller. Oh no, they's not that nice! If'n dey gets der tail in some poor sap dey twists de tail around inside 'em and chops up der insides somethin' 'orrible.
Dey is smarter dan your average snake, too. If you infuriates one by killin' hit's mate or young hit'll track you down fer revenge. I've also heard tell de craftier ones sometimes try wreckin' weapons dey've been hurt wit, der tails and teeth be so hard dey can chop thru a steel swordblade or breastplate like hit was nothin' but rotten punk.
*DC 24* - Want to know a secret? Heard about that big disaster, when some miners broke up the eggs in a rockdrill snake nest and Ma and Pa snake collapsed the whole mine? Well they caught anew-hatched baby snake when that happened, and the mine owner's raisin' it. See, a rockdrill snake don't just eat flesh, it eats precious metals and magic ores too, and it can sniff such things out through solid rock – that's why they attacks miners carrying _sunrods_ more often than those with regular lanterns, they can smell the magic in a _sunrod_. So, that mine owner's got the damn fool idea of training that thing to find veins of gold or orichalcum and drill them out for him. Spent a fortune on it already he has, buying an adamantine pen so it can't tunnel away through the ground an' escape.

*Different Sizes of Rockdrill Snake*
The following are stat-blocks for the different sizes of Rockdrill Snake. Immature snakes do not follow the regular (Reverse) Advancement scheme, since they are not simply smaller versions of an adult. A Large rockdrill snake also has an increased Damage Resistance.

*Fine Hatchling Rockdrill Snake* (Fine Magical Beast, Magical Beast, Hit Dice: ¼d10+3(4hp); Init: +11; Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 60 ft.; AC: 28(+8 size, +7 Dex, +3 natural) touch 25, flat-footed 21; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-16; Full Attack: Bite +16 melee (1 plus poison); Space/Reach: 1 ft./ 0 ft.; Special Attacks: Poison [_Fort DC13 or 1d4/1d4 Con_], tail-drill; Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., eyeless, hold breath, scent arcane, tremorsense 120 ft.; Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +1; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 23, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +15, Climb +15, Jump +15, Hide +27, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Spot +5, Swim +7; Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon FinesseB; CR: ¼)

*Diminutive Infant Rockdrill Snake* (Diminutive Magical Beast, Hit Dice: ½d10+3(5hp); Init: +10; Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), climb 20 ft., swim 50 ft.; AC: 23(+4 size, +6 Dex, +3 natural) touch 20, flat-footed 17; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-12; Attack: Tail +12 melee (1d3-1) or bite +12 melee (1 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +12 melee (1d3-1) and bite +7 melee (1 plus poison) *or* bite +12 melee (1 plus poison) and tail +7 melee (1d3-1); Space/Reach: 1 ft./ 0 ft.; Special Attacks: Adamantine weapons [_+1 enhancement to bite & tail attack_], fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison [_Fort DC13 or 1d4/1d4 Con_], tail-drill; Special Qualities: blindsight 30 ft., eyeless, hold breath, scent arcane, tremorsense 120 ft.; Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +1; Abilities: Str 9, Dex 23, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +14, Climb +14, Jump +14, Hide +22, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Spot +5, Swim +7; Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon FinesseB; CR: ½)

*Tiny Juvenile Rockdrill Snake* (Tiny Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 1d10+3(8hp); Init: +9; Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 10 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 40 ft.; AC: 22(+2 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural) touch 17, flat-footed 17; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-7; Attack: Tail +9 melee (1d4/×3) or bite +9 melee (1d2 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +9 melee (1d4/×3) and bite +4 melee (1d2 plus poison) *or* bite +9 melee (1d2 plus poison) and tail +4 melee (1d4/×3); Space/Reach: 2½ ft./ 0 ft.; Special Attacks: Adamantine weapons [_+1 enhancement to bite & tail attack, pierces hardness 5_], ambush tunnel [_DC 35 to Spot_], fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison [_Fort DC13 or 1d4/1d4 Con_], tail-drill; Special Qualities: Adamantine scales, blindsight 30 ft., damage resistance 1/– plus 3/magic, eyeless, hold breath, scent arcane, tremorsense 120 ft.; Saves: Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +1; Abilities: Str 11, Dex 21, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +13, Climb +13, Jump +13, Hide +17, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Spot +5, Swim +8; Feats: Improved Initiative, Weapon FinesseB; CR: 1)

*Small Adolescent Rockdrill Snake* (Small Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 2d10+6(17hp); Init: +8; Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 20 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.; AC: 21(+1 size, +4 Dex, +6 natural) touch 15, flat-footed 17; Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+0; Attack: Tail +8 melee (1d6+2/19-20×3) or bite +8 melee (1d3+2 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +8 melee (1d6+2/19-20×3) and bite +3 melee (1d3+1 plus poison) *or* bite +8 melee (1d3+2 plus poison) and tail +3 melee (1d6+1/19-20×3); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.; Special Attacks: Adamantine weapons [_+1 enhancement to bite & tail attack, pierces hardness 10_], ambush tunnel [_DC 30 to Spot_], fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison [_Fort DC13 or 1d4/1d4 Con_], tail-drill; Special Qualities: Adamantine scales, blindsight 30 ft., damage resistance 2/– plus 6/magic, eyeless, hold breath, scent arcane, tremorsense 120 ft.; Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +1; Abilities: Str 15, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +12, Climb +12, Jump +12, Hide +12, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Spot +6, Swim +10; Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved SunderB, Weapon FinesseB; CR: 2)

*Medium Adult Rockdrill Snake *(Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 3d10+12(28hp); Init: +7; Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 30 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.; AC: 21(+3 Dex, +8 natural) touch 13, flat-footed 18; Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+7; Attack: Tail +9 melee (1d8+4/19-20×3) or bite +8 melee (1d4+4 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +9 melee (1d8+4/19-20×3) and bite +3 melee (1d4+2 plus poison) *or* bite +8 melee (1d4+4 plus poison) and tail +4 melee (1d8+2/19-20×3); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.; Special Attacks: Adamantine weapons [_+1 enhancement to bite & tail attack, pierces hardness 20_], ambush tunnel [_DC 25 to Spot_], fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison [_Fort DC15 or 1d6/1d6 Con_], tail-drill; Special Qualities: Adamantine scales, blindsight 30 ft., damage resistance 3/– plus 10/magic, eyeless, hold breath, scent arcane, tremorsense 120 ft.; Saves: Fort +7, Ref +6, Will +2; Abilities: Str 19, Dex 17, Con 19, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +11, Climb +12, Jump +12, Hide +7, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Spot +7, Swim +12; Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved SunderB, Weapon Focus (tail); CR: 4)

*Medium Veteran Rockdrill Snake *(Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 5d10+30(57hp); Init: +7; Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 30 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.; AC: 22(+3 Dex, +9 natural) touch 13, flat-footed 19; Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+11; Attack: Tail +13 melee (1d8+6/19-20×3) or bite +12 melee (1d4+6 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +13 melee (1d8+6/19-20×3) and bite +7 melee (1d4+3 plus poison) *or* bite +12 melee (1d4+6 plus poison) and tail +8 melee (1d8+3/19-20×3); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.; Special Attacks: Adamantine weapons [_+1 enhancement to bite & tail attack, pierces hardness 20_], ambush tunnel [_DC 27 to Spot_], fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison [_Fort DC18 or 1d6/1d6 Con_], tail-drill; Special Qualities: Adamantine scales, blindsight 30 ft., damage resistance 4/– plus 12/magic, eyeless, hold breath, scent arcane, tremorsense 120 ft.; Saves: Fort +10, Ref +7, Will +2; Abilities: Str 23, Dex 16, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +11, Climb +14, Jump +14, Hide +9, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Spot +7, Swim +14; Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved SunderB, Weapon Focus (tail); CR: 5)

*Large Old Rockdrill Snake* (Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 7d10+49(87hp); Init: +6; Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 30 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.; AC: 21(-1 size, +2 Dex, +10 natural) touch 11, flat-footed 19; Base Attack/Grapple: +7/+19; Attack: Tail +16 melee (2d6+8/19-20×3) or bite +15 melee (1d6+8 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +16 melee (2d6+8/19-20×3) and bite +10 melee (1d6+4 plus poison) *or* bite +15 melee (1d6+8 plus poison) and tail +11 melee (2d6+4/19-20×3); Space/Reach: 10 ft./ 10 ft.; Special Attacks: Adamantine weapons [_+1 enhancement to bite & tail attack, pierces hardness 20_], ambush tunnel [_DC 24 to Spot_], fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison [_Fort DC20 or 1d8/1d8 Con_], tail-drill; Special Qualities: Adamantine scales, blindsight 30 ft., damage resistance 5/– plus 15/magic, eyeless, hold breath, scent arcane, tremorsense 120 ft.; Saves: Fort +12, Ref +7, Will +3; Abilities: Str 27, Dex 15, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +10, Climb +16, Jump +16, Hide +6, Listen +7, Move Silently +8, Spot +7, Swim +16; Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved SunderB, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (tail); CR: 6)

*Large Ancient Rockdrill Snake* *(Maximum Advancement)* (Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 12d10+84(150hp); Init: +7; Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares), burrow 30 ft, climb 20 ft., swim 30 ft.; AC: 22(-1 size, +3 Dex, +10 natural) touch 12, flat-footed 19; Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+24; Attack: Tail +22 melee (3d6+8/19-20×3) or bite +21 melee (1d6+8 plus poison); Full Attack: Tail +22 melee (3d6+8/19-20×3) and bite +16 melee (1d6+4 plus poison) *or* bite +21 melee (1d6+8 plus poison) and tail +17 melee (3d6+4/19-20×3); Space/Reach: 10 ft./ 10 ft.; Special Attacks: Adamantine weapons [_+1 enhancement to bite & tail attack, pierces hardness 20_], ambush tunnel [_DC 27 to Spot_], fore-and-aft attack, impale, poison [_Fort DC23 or 1d8/1d8 Con_], tail-drill; Special Qualities: Adamantine scales, blindsight 30 ft., damage resistance 5/– plus 15/magic, eyeless, hold breath, scent arcane, tremorsense 120 ft.; Saves: Fort +15, Ref +11, Will +7; Abilities: Str 27, Dex 16, Con 24, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 2; Skills: Balance +11, Climb +16, Jump +16, Hide +9, Listen +8, Move Silently +9, Spot +9, Swim +16; Feats: Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Attack (tail), Improved SunderB, Iron Will, Power Attack, Weapon Focus (tail); CR: 8)

*Feat Progression: *[1HD] Improved Initiative, Weapon FinesseB, [3HD] Weapon Focus (tail), [6HD] Power Attack, [9HD] Iron Will, [12HD] Improved Natural Attack (tail)

*Abilty Bonus Progression:* [4 HD] +1 Con, [8 HD] +1 Dex, [12 HD] +1 Int

*The Hawkworth Mine Story*
Most of what sages know of the rockdrill snake comes from the records of the Hawkworth Mining Company. Under the directorship of Erasmus Hawkworth, this firm had discovered a new seam which proved to be exceptionally rich in Silver, Palladium and other precious metals. Unfortunately, the miners soon began to suffer murderous attacks by "drill worms" between four and seven feet long, resulting in five deaths and thirteen serious injuries.

Undaunted, Mr Hawkworth resorted to that native ingenuity of which his countrymen are renowned and purchased a dozen sheep, whose wool coats he soaked in laudanum before he drove them into the worm-infested mineshaft. The mine worms killed and ate four of the sheep and were promptly rendered comatose by the opiates they'd ingested at the same time. Rather than slaying the helpless serpents, the resourceful Mr Hawkworth gathered them up and fitted each into a steel tube of his design. A handle could be screwed over one end of this tube to close it tight, inside this end the mine worm's head was securely fastened by a leather harness, while the worm's drill-bit tail protruded from the other end. This device proved to be a very handy and valuable piece of mining equipment, the operator need but push the tail-end against the rock and the outraged serpent would drill through it like a buzz-saw through marzipan. The only maintenance required was periodically unscrewing the handle to check and adjust the harness and feed the snake pieces of meat, the frugal Mr Hawkworth having already secured an ample supply of mutton.

Using these new "worm drills" the Hawkworth company expanded the mine many times faster than conventional equipment. Five weeks later a tunnel broke into a void... This turned out to be a series of wet caverns thriving with subterranean life: pools and streams full of slime and tadpole-like fish, masses of cave-lichen and innumerable insects ranging up to hand-sized, but harmless, albino cockroaches. Of more concern were several worms, similar in form to the "drill worms" but smoother of tail and smaller, between a cubit to two feet in length. These proved to be easy to kill and would flee any miner who approached them, the only creatures these worms dared to attack were the caves' native insects. The veins of precious metal followed the line of the caves, which offered a convenient path for further mining. The next part of this story is only known from the account of one Morgan "Shotglass" Axansky, a redacted version of which follows hereinafter:

_So, we was headin' North to see if the Platinum seam continued when Mickie clanDurmot yells out he'd found a pile of emeralds. Sure enough, he'd found a dozen big green stones scattered about in a cyst in the rock. Course, we laughed our heads of at the dang fool, thinkin' ye could find emeralds in a Palladium mine, and then tol' him they was just geode crystals that had been polished by water._

_ Well Mickie got sore about lookin' the fool, so he calls us a bunch of ***** sons of ******* who ******** their sister and her donkey and then pitches' the crystal he's holdin' at us. That Durmot was as bad a shot as he were a miner, cause he missed all five of us and his "emerald" cracked to pieces on the wall behind us._

_ Guess we must have all been dang fools too, cause what I saw fall out of that broken stone was some ooze and a little wiggly worm._

_ No sooner than I saw that, then their was a head-splittin' grindin' sound, like the noise our worm drills make but a hundred times worse, and out from the rockface tunneled a pair of giant drill-worms. I swear them things where as big as telegraph poles!_

_ Them phoney emeralds must have been their eggs, for mama and papa worm were angrier than a ******* ******* who'd run out of emulsion. One of them stuck its whirrin' tail through Mickie and spattered him all around the cave, he died quicker than a ***** ******** a ****** ****. Ernie the goblin runs up and smacks that snake right on the noggin with 'is pickaxe and **** ** if the pick end didn't bounce of that worm's skull with no more effect than if it were thistledown. Then that snake just bit clean through the pickax head, and the other one snapped Ernie's head off like a dandelion._

_ I'm no fool, I was out of that cave before Ernie fell over, and the other three lads were right behind me. But we had to go through the caves and tunnels, scramblin' over rocks and squeezin' through crawlways and those damn worm could just tunnel straight after us. They got my three pals by the time I got back to the main shaft, and kept on following me. I could only holler to the night shift to run for their lives as I sprinted past them._

_ The poor damn fools didn't listen to me, and I could heard them screamin' when I started up to the lift. I was a quarter of the way up when I heard the smashin' sound of a cave in – I reckon those worms must have started drillin' through the supports._

_ When the rescue crew went down there the whole mine had collapsed. I was the only one with the wit to get out in time, and they all blamed me. Nobody believed me about the giant drill-worms, the ******* idiots. They wouldn't know the truth if it ******* their *********._​
Learned sages who have studied Mr Axansky's account have deduced that the caverns he discovered was similar to a "nursery reef" which some fish move to lay their eggs and raise their young, a place where the baby snakes can grow through the early stages of their life in relative safety before they must risk the bizarre predators of the wider underdark. The albino cockroaches were enough food to sustain the baby rockdrill snakes, who scattered into the surrounding rock as soon as they'd grown large enough. The sound of mining in Hawkworth's nearby excavations must have sounded like a dinner gong to the adventurous young serpents.


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## Cleon (Feb 8, 2009)

What's this? Still no replies. Things are sure slow around here.

Well after the serpents, most of whom were actually from Lumberjack tales, I think it's time to return to a traditional lumberwood monsters with the Billdad.


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## Cleon (Feb 8, 2009)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Billdad*

*Billdad*
Small Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 2d10+2 (13 hp)
*Initiative:* +3
*Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares)[_80 ft. with Leap!_], swim 20 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 17 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 14
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +2/+0
*Attack:* Bite +5 melee (1d6+3) or tail slap +5 melee (1d8+3 plus stunning tail)
*Full* *Attack:* Bite +5 melee (1d6+3) or tail slap +5 melee (1d8+3 plus stunning tail)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Stunning tail, thunderclap leap, toxic hydromania
*Special* *Qualities:* Hold breath, leap!, scent, superior low-light vision
*Saves:* Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 14, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6
*Skills:* Jump +14 [_+60 with Leap!_], Hide +15, Listen +11, Move Silently +7, Spot +14, Swim +10
*Feats:* Alertness, Blind-FightB
*Environment:* Temperate lakes and marshes
*Organization:* Solitary, pair or family (3-8)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 2
*Treasure:* 50% goods (pelt & liver, see below)
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 3 HD (Small), 4-6 HD (Medium)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_This critter looks like a bizarre cross between a wallaby, a beaver and a hawk. It's got the hooked bill and piercing eyes of a bird of prey, mighty long legs and scrawny arms like a kangaroo, plus webbed paws and a heavy, flat tail that any beaver would be proud to possess. A lustrous coat of brown fur covers the animal's body and limbs. It's also got big triangular ears like a cat._

Billdads are weird-looking mammals about the size of a large beaver who live in and around large freshwater ponds and lakes surrounded by ancient forest. These are very rare animals, only being found in a few out of the way regions that meet their exacting standards.

A typical billdad is 2½ feet long, not including a foot-long tail, and weighs fifty pounds or so.

Billdads are best known for two traits. First, they hunt fish at night by waiting at the water's edge until they see a fish break the surface, then make an amazing leap across the water to just past the fish, who they stun with an explosive tail-slap. Second, their flesh is a strange poison which drives those who taste it to leap into the nearest large body of water and drown.

*Combat*
Billdads are very reluctant combatants, they would rather flee foes than fight them. If forced into a melee they prefer to defend themselves with their tails, in the hope of stunning their assailants and opening an opportunity to escape. They always head for water and try to flee beneath its surface, usually heading for the submerged entrance of their lair.

A billdad is only likely to act aggressively in defence of its mate or offspring, or if it has been driven mad by spell or disease. In either case, it will use its Thunderclap Leap! special attack against the greatest perceived threat.

*Hold Breath (Ex)*
A billdad can hold its breath for a number of rounds equal to twice its Constitution score before it risks drowning.

*Leap! (Ex)*
A billdad can leap an immense distance as a standard or full-round action. The billdad makes a Jump check with a +30 competence bonus, and for all aspects of that Jump check its speed is increased to 80 ft. (thus adding an additional +16 on the Jump check and a maximum distance of 80 ft. for that action's movement). The Jump DC is not doubled if the billdad does not get a running start.

This ability offers little protection from the impact of the Leap! If the billdad lands on a hard object after Leaping it must make a DC15 Reflex check or suffer 2d6 damage, treated as falling damage. Any object it strikes will suffer the same damage. For this reason, the billdad almost always Leaps! Into a body of water.

After using its Leap! ability, the billdad must wait at least a minute (10 rounds) before it can use it again.

*Stunning Tail Slap (Ex)*
Any creature struck by the billdad's tail-slap attack must make a DC13 Fortitude save or be stunned for its next round. Alternatively, if the tail-slap hits the surface of a body of water then any creature in the water within a 10 ft. radius burst of the impact point must make a DC 13 Fortitude save or be staggered for its next round. The save DC is Strength based.

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

*Thunderclap Leap (Ex)*
As a full round action, a billdad can use its Leap! Special Quality followed by an augmented Stunning Tail Slap doing double damage (2d8+6) to the creature struck plus stunning it for 1d3 rounds, if the target makes a Fortitude save against DC15 they merely take regular tail damage (1d8+3) and are staggered for a round.

Alternatively, if the tail-slap hits the surface of a body of water,  any creature in the water within a 10 ft. radius burst of the impact point takes 1d4+1 damage and is stunned for its next round, if the creature makes a DC 15 Fortitude save they take half damage and are not stunned.

The damage caused by a Thunderclap Leap's augmented Stunning Tail Slap is half bludgeoning (round up) and half sonic (round down), so a Thunderclap Leap doing 13 hit points of damage is 7 bludgeoning and 6 sonic. The save DC is Strength based and includes a +2 racial bonus.

*Toxic Hydromania (Su)*
Any creature which tastes the flesh or blood of a billdad must make a DC16 Will save or be filled with an irresistible urge to head at their top speed towards the nearest large body of water and leap into it. This compulsion lasts for 2d4 rounds, during which the creature receives a +20 enhancement bonus to their Jump checks. At the end of this period, or when the creature succeeds in jumping into deep water, they must make a second DC16 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 2d4 rounds. Such a paralyzed character can not hold their breath, so must immediately begin to make Constitution checks against drowning at the usual DC (10+1 per round).

Creatures with the Aquatic subtype are affected different, being compelled to swim to shore and leap upon dry land, where they "drown" if they cannot breathe air.

Toxic Hydromania is both a Mind-Affecting, Compulsion Enchantment and a Poison effect. It will affect creatures which hit a billdad with a bite attack or eat the flesh of a dead billdad, whether raw or cooked. The attacker must take at least a small mouthful to be affected, so are unlikely to be accidentally affected. e.g. a warrior hitting a billdad with an ax could cause blood to spray over them, the few drops that may enter their mouth won't be enough for Toxic Hydromania to occur.

The save DC is Constitution based and includes a +4 racial bonus.

*Skills*
A billdad has a +4 racial bonus on Listen and Move Silently checks and a +8 racial bonus on Hide, Jump and Spot checks. A billdad 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.

*Ecology*
Billdads are nocturnal-crepuscular carnivores, but pose little threat to mankind since they habitually only eat fish and are exceedingly shy, retreating at the first hint of human intrusion.

The most obvious evidence a billdad's about is hearing loud splashes in a pond at night, like the sound of a paddle striking the water magnified tenfold or more, the noise of a billdad's famous fishing method. The billdad crouches on a vantage point overlooking the water, such as a grassy knoll or the stump of a tree, and waits until its hawk-keen eyesight spots a fish near the surface, mayhap a trout rising to gulp down a fly. With astonishing speed, the billdad then leaps across the water to splashdown just past the fish, where it smashes its tail down like a thunderclap. This stuns the fish, which is immediately picked up and eaten by the billdad. Tall-tale spinners have wildly exaggerated the distance a billdad can leap, boasting of effortless jumps of 60 or 100 yards. In truth, a run of the mill billdad has an average leap of a chain's length (66 feet) or so.

A billdad possesses the "sixth sense" of electrolocation through receptors in its beak and face, this gives it a crude blindsense it uses to navigate in its burrows and hunt in the black muddy depths of ponds. Billdad swim too slowly to chase down fast-moving fish, but their electrosense helps them catch slower prey like bottom-dwelling fish, crawdads and turtles. Billdads mostly hunt underwater at dawn and dusk, using the leaping method during the night between, they may hunt underwater during the daytime if they or their kits are particularly hungry. A billdad may find as much food underwater with its electrolocation than it catches with its spectacular leaps.

Few creatures prey upon billdads, for they have a very effective defence mechanism. Imbued in their flesh is a magical poison that compels creatures that ingest it to leap into the nearest large body of water and then paralyses them, resulting in rapid drowning. Aquatic predators are compelled to leap out onto dry land instead. There are reports that the water panther and the wooly giant pike have an innate immunity to this poison, so will happily eat billdad, but this has not been confirmed.

These are very quiet animals, leading to a common belief that billdads are mute. In fact they can emit a range of soft hoots, sighing groans, grunts and very rarely startling shrieks (which appear to strartle billdads as much as they do humans), plus a burring hum which serves the same purpose as a cat's purr, but sound weirdly different. However, billdads do most of their long-distant communication by beating the ground or water with their tales, and have an semi-instinctive "language" of tail beats that can convey a range of messages. Amongst those known to master Lumberjacks are: Two extremely loud beats in rapid succession is an alarm signal; two pairs of beats in rapid succession is a territorial declaration/warning; a rapid staccato splashing is a male signaling his suitability/desire to mate – females can apparently use this signal to judge the power of the male's tail, their key criteria for his fitness as a mate; or three spaced-out and flat sounding "slaps", which signals a female's willingness to consider a suitor.

Billdads get along very well with beavers, and often live in the latter species' pools. Both species recognize the meaning of the other animal's tail-slap alarm signals.

Adult male billdads grow considerably larger than the females. While a female billdad grow up to five to six feet long, including tail (4 Hit Dice), the largest males may reach more than eight feet (the largest specimen on record was a "Gran'Pappy" billdad 9 feet 8 inches long, including its 3 foot 5 inch tail, estimated to weigh 310-380 pounds).

During daytime billdads sleep in burrows excavated in the banks of their pool. These have two underwater entrances, the only sign above the water are a few cunningly concealed airholes that are easily mistaken for the warren of a tiny rodent. Billdads are egg-laying mammals like duck billed platypodes, producing a clutch of 2-6 eggs the size of a largish goose egg (about 5 ounces). Infant billdads are called "kits" just as beavers' young are. Unlike the platypus, the male billdad provides food for his mate while she's incubating her eggs. Once the eggs hatch the female starts making short forays outside in between nursing her young, leaving the male to guard the burrow. These excursions increase in frequency and duration until the kits are weaned, by which time both parents spend equal time guarding the burrow and fishing for food.

Billdads are monogamous, once they pair with a mate they generally stick to them unto death, only seeking a replacement if their mate dies or is lost. Neither sex are above having illicit liaisons, though. Being solitary hunters, mated billdads are rarely seen together above ground. Most of the time a billdad spends with its mate is in their burrow. On very rare occasions, a male will support two females in separate burrows at the same time, or a female will share a burrow with two males; this usually occurs when a billdad "remarried" after losing a mate, then the supposedly lost mate returned.

Newborn billdads weigh about four ounces and are completely helpless, lacking any natural offence or defence. Their flesh is not even poisonous until they begin to develop their incredible leaping ability when the kit has reached a few pounds in weight, the two traits are obviously connected.

It is rare for a pair of billdads to succeed in raising all their young, usually only 1-3 survive long enough to leave the nest. The commonest reason for this is that the billdad's simply could not catch enough fish to feed them all. When the billdad kits start to starve, the pragmatic parents will kill the weakest and feed its flesh to the others.

*Treasure*
Unfortunately for the billdad, although this poison heartily discourages folk from eating them, it's also a very valuable ingredient for crafting items imbued with the _jump_ spell, resulting in over-hunting that has made these critters even more incredibly rare than they were historically. The "leaping juice" is concentrated in the billdad's liver, which can easily be preserved in vinegar or alcohol; such a liver can fetch 40% of the treasure value of the billdad's Challenge Rating (240 gp for an average billdad).

A billdad's fur resemble a beaver's from a distance, which may lead one to think it's of little value. There's little cachet in wearing the skin of an extraordinarily rare animal if it looks just like a common one. Up close a billdad's pelt is quite different; being fine, lustrous, silky smooth and astonishingly warm and water resistant. Billdad pelts in good condition are worth 60-200 gp (10% of Challenge Rating).

A billdads liver is literally worth twice its weight in gold – 1 pound per 100 gp value, while the pelt weighs about a pound per 10 gp value.

[_Note that you may want a billdad's flesh to lose its toxic properties a few hours after the creature's death but retain its alchemical/magical value, to prevent it being abused as a poison._]

*Lore Checks*
*DC 12* - A billdad be a right funny lookin' varmint. It's 'bout the size of a beaver I reckon, with fur like a beaver an' a tail like a beaver too, but real big. But they's got a curved beak like a fish-hawk, an' strong back legs fur jumpin' – dem back legs like a hoppin' rat's legs, ye unnerstand, not like a frog's – but only little arms in front. They comes out at night to the edge of a pool and waits for fish to splash to the surface, den they jumps out over the water quick as a flash and smacks their tail down on that fish so hard it's like they'd set off a charge of smokepowder in the water. Dat's how dey fishes for their supper, see.
*DC 27* - Well I've heard of billdads but never set eyes on one meself, they's really shy critters. Dey's not real dangerous, cause a billdad would sooner run away and hide soon as they knew a man was about, although I did hear about a fellow who grabbed hold of a billdad kit, which made Papa billdad so angry he jumped ten yards in the air and came down to smack that fellow so hard with its tail it turned half that man's bones and his flesh to jelly. One think folks has been speculatin' about is whether billdad make good eatin', no one hereabouts can remember ever catching one to see what they taste like.
*DC 22* - Whatever you do, don't eat a billdad! Some folks may tell you they're good eatin', but that's a damned lie. Billdad meat is deadly poison, if you eat one it'll drive you mad so's you think ye are a billdad, then you'll rush over to a pond and jump into it and drown. Funny thing is, there's summat in the flesh that means those who eat it can jump nearly as far as a billdad can. There are alchemists and other learned folk who can distill jumpin' potions out of a billdad's liver. So, if you ever kill a billdad, cut out its liver and pickle it in likker or vinegar, 'cause billdad livers sell for a right pretty price. There's a good bounty on their skins as well.

*Advanced Billdads*
The stats for a baby and infant kit are included only for completeness, these animals are non combatives. A "Big Kit" billdad is large enough to roam around outside the nest and strike off on its own. Immature billdads do not have fully developed special attacks or special qualities, as indicated in their compact stat blocks.

*Baby Kit Billdad* (Diminutive Magical Beast, Hit Dice: ¼d10+1 (2hp); Init: +4; Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 10 ft.; AC: 18(+4 size, +4 Dex) touch 18, flat-footed 14; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-12; Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d3-1); Space/Reach: 1 ft./ 0 ft.; Special Qualities: Hold breath, scent, low-light vision; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2; Abilities: Str 8, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6; Skills: Jump +1, Hide +24, Listen +11, Move Silently +8, Spot +13, Swim +7; Feats: Alertness, Blind-FightB; CR: 1/10)

*Li'l Kit Billdad* (Tiny Magical Beast, Hit Dice: ½d10+1 (3hp); Init: +4; Speed: 30 ft. (6 squares)[_60 ft. with Leap!_], swim 20 ft.; AC: 17(+2 size, +4 Dex, +1 natural) touch 16, flat-footed 13; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-7; Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d4) or tail slap +3 melee (1d6); Space/Reach: 2½ ft./ 0 ft.; Special Attacks: toxic hydromania [_Will & Fort DC11, no racial bonus_]; Special Qualities: Hold breath, leap![_+22 to Jump (+10 enhancement, +12 speed_)], scent, superior low-light vision; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2; Abilities: Str 10, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6; Skills: Jump +8 [_+30 with Leap!_], Hide +20, Listen +11, Move Silently +8, Spot +13, Swim +8; Feats: Alertness, Blind-FightB; CR: ¼)

*Big Kit Billdad* (Small Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 1d10+1 (13hp); Init: +4; Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)[_70 ft. with Leap!_], swim 20 ft.; AC: 17(+1 size, +4 Dex, +2 natural) touch 15, flat-footed 13; Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-2; Full Attack: Bite +3 melee (1d6+1) or tail slap +3 melee (1d8+1 plus stunning tail); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.; Special Attacks: Stunning tail [_Fort DC 11, tail slap stuns target for 1 round, or 10' burst staggers for 1 round_], thunderclap leap [_Fort DC 13, tail slap 2d8+2 damage plus 1d3 rounds stun (save ½ damage, 1 round staggered), or 10' burst doing 1d4 damage plus 1 round stun (save ½ damage, no stun)_], toxic hydromania [_Will & Fort DC13, +2 racial bonus_]; Special Qualities: Hold breath, leap![_ +32 to Jump (+20 enhancement, +12 speed_)], scent, superior low-light vision; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +6, Will +2; Abilities: Str 12, Dex 18, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6; Skills: Jump +13 [_+45 with Leap!_], Hide +16, Listen +11, Move Silently +8, Spot +13, Swim +9; Feats: Alertness, Blind-FightB; CR: 1)

*Reg'lar Billdad* (Small Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 2d10+2 (13hp); Init: +3; Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)[_80 ft. with Leap!_], swim 20 ft.; AC: 17(+1 size, +3 Dex, +3 natural) touch 14, flat-footed 14; Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+0; Full Attack: Bite +5 melee (1d6+3) or tail slap +5 melee (1d8+3 plus stunning tail); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.; Special Attacks: Stunning tail [_Fort DC 13, tail slap stuns target for 1 round, or 10' burst staggers for 1 round_], thunderclap leap [_Fort DC 15, tail slap 2d8+6 damage plus 1d3 rounds stun (save ½ damage, 1 round staggered), or 10' burst doing 1d4+1 damage plus 1 round stun (save ½ damage, no stun)_], toxic hydromania [_Will & Fort DC16_]; Special Qualities: Hold breath, leap!, scent, superior low-light vision; Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +2; Abilities: Str 14, Dex 17, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6; Skills: Jump +14 [_+60 with Leap!_], Hide +15, Listen +11, Move Silently +7, Spot +14, Swim +10; Feats: Alertness, Blind-FightB; CR: 2)

*Big Ol' Billdad* (Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 4d10+8 (30hp); Init: +3; Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)[_80 ft. with Leap!_], swim 20 ft.; AC: 16(+3 Dex, +3 natural) touch 13, flat-footed 13; Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+8; Full Attack: Bite +8 melee (1d8+6) or tail slap +8 melee (2d6+6 plus stunning tail); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.; Special Attacks: Stunning tail [_Fort DC 16, tail slap stuns target for 1 round, or 10' burst staggers for 1 round_], thunderclap leap [_Fort DC 18, tail slap 4d6+12 damage plus 1d3 rounds stun (save ½ damage, 1 round staggered), or 10' burst doing 1d6+3 damage plus 1 round stun (save ½ damage, no stun)_], toxic hydromania [_Will & Fort DC18_]; Special Qualities: Hold breath, leap!, scent, superior low-light vision; Saves: Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +3; Abilities: Str 18, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6; Skills: Jump +16 [_+62 with Leap!_], Hide +15, Listen +11, Move Silently +9, Spot +14, Swim +10; Feats: Alertness, Blind-FightB, Stealthy; CR: 4)

*Gran'Pappy Billdad (Maximized)*(Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45hp); Init: +3; Speed: 40 ft. (8 squares)[_80 ft. with Leap!_], swim 20 ft.; AC: 16(+3 Dex, +3 natural) touch 13, flat-footed 13; Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+10; Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+6) or tail slap +10 melee (3d6+6 plus stunning tail); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.; Special Attacks: Stunning tail [_Fort DC 17, tail slap stuns target for 1 round, or 10' burst staggers for 1 round_], thunderclap leap [_Fort DC 19, tail slap 6d6+12 damage plus 1d3 rounds stun (save ½ damage, 1 round staggered), or 10' burst doing 1d10+3 damage plus 1 round stun (save ½ damage, no stun)_], toxic hydromania [_Will & Fort DC19_]; Special Qualities: Hold breath, leap!, scent, superior low-light vision; Saves: Fort +7, Ref +8, Will +4; Abilities: Str 18, Dex 16, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 6; Skills: Jump +16 [_+62 with Leap!_], Hide +15, Listen +12, Move Silently +9, Spot +15, Swim +10; Feats: Alertness, Blind-FightB, Improved Natural Attack (tail slap), Stealthy; CR: 5)

*Feat Progression:* [1HD] Blind-FightB? [3HD] Stealthy?, [6HD] Improved Natural Attack (tail slap)

*Ability Bonus Progression:* [4HD] +1 Dex


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## freyar (Feb 8, 2009)

Cleon said:


> What's this? Still no replies. Things are sure slow around here.
> 
> Well after the serpents, most of whom were actually from Lumberjack tales, I think it's time to return to a traditional lumberwood monsters with the Billdad.



I'm telling you, it's that terrible work monster.  And when it's not chasing me, it's the chore monster. 

The snakes are a lot to read , but I really love the billdad.


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## Cleon (Feb 9, 2009)

freyar said:


> I'm telling you, it's that terrible work monster.  And when it's not chasing me, it's the chore monster.
> 
> The snakes are a lot to read , but I really love the billdad.




Ta Freyar, I'd be interested to hear any specific feedback you can give me, assuming that dang-blasted varmint will let you.

Speaking of which, we'll have to stat up that Work Monster sometime. I'm thinking it'll be an Aberration with an extraordinary attack that increases your encumbrance, so if it hits you with that enough times you're too weighed down to do anything you want to.


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## Cleon (Mar 13, 2009)

Here's another Lumberjack beastie, the Roperite. This may be the penultimate entry in this series, since I only have one other monster in this pipeline.

Its just that none of the other timber folklore critters really inspire me to write them up. I could do things like the Hodag, I suppose, but many of the others are minor beings only notable for one peculiar quirk, such as melting into tears or whistling like a teakettle. They're more background colour than a foe to throw against your adventurers.

However, if anyone out there on the broad seas of the internet has a particular fondness for any of the lumberjack critters I haven't converted so far, I'd be happy to consider requests - not making any promises, mind.


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## Cleon (Mar 13, 2009)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Roperite*

*Roperite*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 4d10+4 (26 hp)
*Initiative:* +4
*Speed:* 80 ft. (16 squares), climb 80 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 19 (+4 Dex, +5 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 15 [_Lariat AC 27, touch 22, flat-footed 23_] [_Mobility gives +4 dodge vs opportunity attacks for AC23, touch 18, flat 15_]
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +4/+7 [_+17 to maintain an Adhesion hold or Beat or Rend foe_]
*Attack:* Lariat +8 melee (1d3+1 plus adhesion) or beak +7 melee (1d4+3) or kick +7 melee (1d6+4) or stomp +7 melee (1d4+3 plus adhesion) or claw +7 melee (1d4+1)
*Full* *Attack:* Lariat +8 melee (1d3+1 plus adhesion) or beak +7 melee (1d4+3) and kick +2 melee (1d6+4) or stomp +2 melee (1d4+3 plus adhesion) or 2 claws +2 melee (1d4+1)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft. (10 ft. with lariat)
*Special* *Attacks:* Adhesion, beat, drag, lariat, overwhelming force, rend, shove
*Special* *Qualities:* Cliff running, DR 6/magic, low-light vision, scent
*Saves:* Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 17, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10
*Skills:* Climb +23, Jump +23, Hide +10, Listen +8, Spot +11
*Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Improved Bull RushB, Improved OverrunB, MobilityB, RunB, Spring AttackB
*Environment:* Warm or temperate hills
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 4
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 5-7 (Medium); 8-12 HD (Large)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_Vaguely resembling a bipedal predatory dinosaur, this creature's most prominent feature is the upper bill of its sturdy beak which extends into rope-like lash it twists and coils like a lariat, the lower bill merely ends in a dagger-like point. Whatever this bizarre animal is, it's clearly not a reptile, for it has small pony-like ears, a mane of stiff hair and a beard, although it also has three great plumes sprouting from the back of its neck like some kind of bird. The beast has enormously muscled hindlegs with huge flippers for feet, while its forelimbs are a pair of sinewy arms with grasping hands and formidable talons. While its lariat-nose and flipper-feet,  are creamy white and scaly, the rest of the creature's skin is brown-gray and leathery, resembling raw cowhide that's been left outdoors too long. Most of its hide is naked apart from a sparse coating of sandy fuzz which extends from just below its goggling eyes to the base of its tail, this fuzzy hair grows thicker over the animal's back, where a stiff ruff of dark hair runs down its spine. Finally, the creature concludes with a thin tail whose entire length is covered in rattles like a rattlesnake.
_
Faster than a thoroughbred racehorse. More powerful than a runaway wagon. Is it an ostrich? Is it a fiend? No, it's a Roperite!

The above represents an average-sized young adult roperite, about 5 feet tall and 7 feet long, not including its 6-foot tail or its lariat, which stretches to 12 feet in length when unfurled. Such a specimen weighs some 250 pounds. The largest roperites reach almost half again that size – 7 feet high and 10 feet long, with 9-foot tails and 18-foot lariats – and weigh around 800 pounds.

Roperites are among nature's most bizarre creations, but are frightening effective predators despite their goofy appearance. Fortunately, they are as rare as they are dangerous. These animals can run at terrifying speed over the roughest terrain. They are usually encountered in the foothills of mountains in areas of harsh scrub, which they blithely run through without any fear of injury. These monsters will happily attack any animal up to their own size, ensnaring it with their lariat beak and then running off, dragging their unfortunate victim behind them through piercing thorns and across jagged rocks so they are flayed alive.

*Combat*
A roperite usually initiates combat by charging in and trying to seize one of its opponents, using its lariat's Adhesion ability. Its Mobility and Spring Attack feats help it avoid attacks of opportunity. If it succeeds in hitting its target it will then try to Drag them away across rough terrain, using its Shove ability and Improved Bull-Run and Improved Overrun feats to try to knock aside or run over any of the target's allies that get in its way.

If the roperite fails to drag a victim away, either because it misses or its targets are too large or securely fastened together, it typically either tries hit-and-run attacks until it fells a victim or is driven away or, if it's particularly bold or desperate, just commences full attacks against its prey.

The victim may be able to prevent or halt a Drag attack by clinging to a tree, boulder or similar obstacle. Roperites normally respond to such an eventuality by trying to Beat its lassoed foe into loosening their grip, so it can initiate or resume a Drag.

Occasionally, a roperite Adheres to a victim that is difficult to injure with a Drag attack, usually because they have damage resistance. Against such foes, a roperite usually uses a Beat or kick attack combined with a Drag.

A roperite reserves its Rend ability against particularly tough or stubborn targets. These monsters generally only uses this attack form when there are no other combatants within melee range, since it cannot manoeuvre at the same time.

Roperites are tenacious combatants, but not suicidal ones. They will flee when seriously injured.

*Adhesion (Ex)*
If a roperite hits with a lariat or stomp attack it can choose to automatically start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. It can also start an Adhesion hold with a successful melee touch attack with its lariat or a foot, but this does no damage.

The roperite gains a +10 racial bonus on any grapple check to maintain an Adhesion hold. It can release its Adhesion as a free action whenever it chooses to.

A roperite using its lariat to Adhere to a target can use its other natural weapons without penalty. One using a foot to adhere to a target is considered flat-footed until it releases the Adhesion and may not use its kick attack, but may use any of its other natural weapons without penalty, including stomp.

This Adhesion is neither glue, suction, nor magic. It makes no difference if the Adhered to object is covered in water, oil or similar liquid. If the target of Adhesion is easily broken or covered in some certain fragile or viscous materials, such as an adventurer wearing a fine silk shirt or thickly covered in grease mixed with sand, then the hold may fail because the portions the roperite Adheres to break off in its grip. [_A roperite's Adhesion exploits the Van der Waals force, the same principal as a gecko's feet_].

*Beat (Ex)*
A roperite can inflict 1d4+3 damage on an opponent it has an Adhesion hold on by making a successful grapple check, including its +10 racial bonus from Overwhelming Force, by using its beak or foot to smash the foe against a nearby solid object. This is a standard action.

*Cliff Running (Ex)*
A roperite's Adhesive feet mean it can easily move across walls and ceilings, provided they can support its weight. It can even Run across vertical surfaces, although it can not Run when upside down.

*Drag (Ex)*
As a move action, a roperite can Drag any object up to its own size that it has Adhered to with its lariat. A roperite cannot use Drag when it has an object adhering to a foot, although it can Bull Rush, Beat or Rend such an object.

To make a Drag attack, the roperite makes a Strength check against its opponent as if was taking the overrun or bull rush action. An average roperite has a +17 modifier on this Strength check due to its strength, size, feats and Overwhelming Force (see below). If the roperite wins the strength contest its foe is pulled prone and dragged at least one 5' square. The distance depends on the roperite's margin of success and their relative sizes. If the foe is the same size category as the roperite, they are dragged an additional 5' square for every 5 points of success, if the roperite is one size category larger the victim is dragged an additional 5' square for every 2 points of success, and if the roperite is two or more size categories larger the victim is dragged an additional 5' square for every single point of success.

A roperite can use two move actions in a round on a Drag attack, this doubles the maximum distance it can drag its victim, and allows it to roll its Strength check twice and pick the best result. It does not make two Drag attacks against the target and apply the results separately.

The victim can not be Dragged farther than the roperite's maximum movement (80 feet, or 160 ft. with a double move), and take 1d6 points of damage plus an additional 1d6 for every 30 feet they are dragged. Each of these dice of damage is considered a separate injury, so effects such as Damage Resistance or stoneskin count against them individually (e.g. a barbarian with DR2 who's been dragged 50' would take 1d6-2 damage two times).

If the target can secure themselves to a large mass like a tree or boulder they are entitled to a circumstance bonus to their Strength check to resist being dragged. They may be able to grab hold of such an anchor if they are dragged past one. This would require a Reflex Save against a DC of 18, this DC being based on the roperite's Hit Dice and Dexterity, then they need to make a Strength check with a circumstance bonus against the roperite to halt the Drag.

*Lariat (Ex)*
A roperite applies either its Dexterity or its Strength bonus to attack rolls with its lariat, whichever gives it the higher modifier, as if it was using the Weapon Finesse feat.

A roperite's lariat can be cut through. It can take one quarter the hit points of the roperite (6hp for an average roperite) before being severed, but takes half damage from piercing weapons and is immune to bludgeoning weapons. It is also a very small and elusive target, with a +8 size bonus to its armour class, giving it AC 27, touch 22, flat-footed 23.

Damage to the lariat does not affect the roperite's total hit points. A severed lariat regrows at a rate of one foot per day.

*Overwhelming Force (Su)*
A roperite possesses unnaturally powerful legs which give it a +10 racial bonus on its Strength checks to bull rush or overrun any object or creature that obstructs its progress, or on similar actions such as its Drag ability. This gives an average roperite a +17 bonus on overrun / bull rush Strength checks (+3 Str,+4 feat plus +10 racial). This bonus does not apply to other applications of Strength, such as damage or attack rolls, even while charging.

Overwhelming Force allows a roperite's to make Bull Rush or Overrun attacks against creatures up to two size categories larger than itself, instead of the standard upper limit of one size category larger than the attacker.

This extraordinary leg-power allows a roperite to push or drag 16 times the normal weight of a creature of its size and strength (i.e. 40-160 × maximum load instead of 2½-10 × maximum load, or 10,400-41,600 pounds for a standard roperite, and 64,000-256,000 pounds for an average Large roperite!)

*Rend (Ex)*
As a full-round action, a roperite that has an Adhesion grip on an opponent can grab them with both its feet and lariat and try to rip them apart. Making such a Rend attack is a full-round action which inflicts 2d4+6 damage if the roperite succeeds at a grapple check against its opponent, including its +10 racial bonus from Overwhelming Force. The roperite is flat-footed during a round it uses its Rend ability.

*Shove (Ex)*
A roperite's supernatural strength allows it to force its way past creatures simply by moving into or over them. This is similar to a regular Bull Rush or Overrun but far more powerful.

Roperites can make a Shove attack as a move action.

Opponents in the path of a Shoving roperite may choose to make an attack of opportunity or leap aside. Leaping aside requires a successful DC16 Reflex save.

Opponents that stand their ground against the roperite must make a Strength check to stop the roperite's progress, this Strength check is modified as if they were resisting a bull rush or overrun attack: +4 for every size category larger than medium, -4 for every size category smaller than medium, +4 for exceptional stability.

If the opponent is the same size or smaller than the roperite and this Strength check fails to beat a DC equal to the roperite's Overwhelming Force bonus (DC 17 for a standard roperite), they are knocked prone and take 1d4+1 damage.

If the opponent makes this DC with their Strength check, or is larger than the roperite, the roperite must roll a Strength check of its own to try to Shove through/over them. This is resolved as an Overrun attack (q.v.) against the result of the Strength check the opponent just made, except a roperite's Overwhelming Force allows it to make such attacks against creatures up to two size categories larger than itself. If the roperite's opponent loses the Strength contest they take 1d4+1 damage as well as falling prone. A roperite can make two such Shoving Overrun attacks each round by making a double move, it can make these attacks against the same opponent or two different foes.

Shoving past an opponent costs the roperite an additional 5' of movement for every square it Shoves through, unless the opponent is more than two size categories smaller than the roperite (Diminutive or less for an average roperite), in which case the roperite can step over or kick aside the obstacle with negligible effort.

*Skills*
A roperite has a +4 racial bonus on Hide, Listen and Spot checks and a +20 racial bonus on Climb checks. A roperite can always choose to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 17* - A roperite looks like a nekkid demon turkey that's big as a pony, with a lasso fer a nose and a rattlesnake's tail. No, I ain't been drinking. That's just what the mountain folk say they looks like, ain't never laid eyes on one meself. They say them things can run up to a man fast as the wind, snare 'im with der rope-nose round and drag the poor fellow out of sight before you can take aim at the monster. The mountain folk legends is they ain't beasts, earthly or otherwise, but are the cursed ghosts of caballeros who dragged lassoed children to their deaths. They say that's why you never see a baby or young roperite, only full-grown ones. Sounds like a lot of hoo-haw to me.
*DC 22* - Did you know Squint-Eyed Jake? He was a wicked fella. One day, me and some compadres met Jake all chortling to himself like he were set to split with laughter. He said he'd met a party of tourists, and had spun them a line about roperites being in the hills they where heading for, and got them to cover themselves all over in grease and ashes, then tie themselves and their mules together three fold so the roperite couldn't drag anyone off. How he laughed at getting them to do such a dang fool thing just because of a nonexistant dangfool bugaboo. So Jack insisted we come along and see for ourselves how ridiculous these tourists look and we set off after them, only to find them being attacked by the weirdest looking varmint I'd ever clapped eyes on. It kept on trying to lasso a tourist or one of their mules with its beak, but its lasso just slipped off covered with grease, or the mules were too tied-together for it to pull one of them away.
Then it catches sight of us, and charges up faster than a quarterhorse and snatches Jake clean off his feet. We all jumped in its way, but it knocked all four of us head over heels as easy as if we was bowling pins and races off into the rocks and thornbushes with Jake, leaving bits of him stuck to every sharp bit of scenery they passed. We heard Jake screaming long after we lost sight of him.
Guess the joke was on Jake, after all.
*DC 27* - A roperite's nose isn't sticky or magical, but somehow it can fasten itself onto anything it touches with great strength. Most people don't know this, but roperites can fasten themselves onto things with their feet just as well, and this lets them run across cliffs and cave ceilings as easy as folk stroll down a street. That's why few people have ever seen a young roperite, for they go up into impassable mountains to breed, and the youngsters stay up there until they're pretty big.

*Ecology*
*Lariat*
A roperite's lariat is a tube of tough leather that is animated by telekinetic impulses rather than muscle-power. It is a living organ with a sense of touch, which can do anything an elephant's trunk can and a lot more besides; as well as dragging victims to their doom, a roperite uses its lariat to pick up objects, drink, groom, sniff up scents, snorkel and many other duties. The lariat constantly grows from the base in the roperite's beak, allowing the roperite to quickly regenerate a severed lariat. A roperite can only animate a lariat of a certain length, when its lariat reaches this limit its growth rate dramatically slows and any excess length simply flakes away like dry skin.

*Metabolism & Digestion*
Roperites have a supernatural metabolism, allowing them an incredibly active lifestyle on very little prey. They do not live on meat and drink alone, but must eat certain rare metal salts and exotic plants to maintain their bizarre physiologies, and may also require expose to the elemental forces emanating from the rocks of their home. The few roperites that have been captured and removed from their habitat have all sickened and died within weeks, despite clerical and druidic care.

Since they lack teeth, roperite's can not bite or chew their meat, they grind up their food in a gizzard instead. A roperite uses its foreclaws to butcher its prey into pieces small enough to swallow, hoovering up any blood, juices or small fragments through their lariat.

Roperites are not fussy about what animals they prey upon, eating any creature they can catch and overpower. Nor do they turn up their beaks at carrion when they are hungry, although they will not touch badly decayed meat.

*Territoriality*
Fully grown roperites are solitary and highly territorial. The foothills they inhabit are barren, so each requires a large area to sustain itself, which they defend fiercely from other roperites.

Border disputes are usually settled by "nose wrestling" – the competing roperites wrap their lariats together and try to pull their opponent off their territory. This tug of war proves which one is strongest, and the other will retreat. If one or both are desperate, usually due to hunger, they may fight with beak and claw for control of the territory, sometimes to the death.

*Lifecycle
*Human sages know very little about roperite reproduction. Few people have even seen an immature roperite, since they are born and mature in the most inaccessible of mountains. This has led to many tall tales and outrageous myths about how roperites come to be, ranging from them being ghosts or demons, the creation of a mad slaad lord (as if there was any other kind of slaad lord), or the result of a sorcerer forcing a team of caballeros into an unnatural congress with ostriches.

Roperite reproduction is a curious cross between the avian and the mammalian. Females are larger than males, typically weighing 50% more than a male of the same age. Dissection of female roperites has shown that they are ovovivaporous, producing a single shell-less but otherwise birdlike egg, which hatches internally and develops within a womb-analogue. The females also have mammaries to produce breast-milk.

*Mating
*In late summer, the female roperites come in heat and emit a scent so attractive to nearby males they leave their territories to gather around her. Nose-wrestling matches between the males will force the weakest to leave, leaving only the strongest, who are closely matched in strength. After three or four days the female will run off, pursued by the males, in a "mating race" that may last over a day. The male with the greatest stamina is usually the winner, being able to keep close behind the female when she decides the race is over. Mating is short and perfunctory, after which the roperites return to their territories.

*Infancy*
After carrying her young for around 7 months, a female roperite climbs into the mountains to give birth in a cave or beneath an overhanging cliff. A newborn roperite weighs around 20-25 pounds at birth, and is called a "foal". Roperite hatchlings have none of the supernatural strength or damage resistance of its parents, but can run as fast as a race horse within minutes of birth. Foals follow their mother around the mountains for the next 2 months, growing rapidly on her milk. Baby roperites spend a lot of their time riding on their mother's back, clinging on with their adhesive feet and lariat, they can even suckle from their mother's back by reaching around her body with their lariats.

Infant roperites are quite precocious, capable of hunting for themselves by the age of four weeks, although they still need to nurse at their mother's breast for another month or so. Roperite milk contains vital nutrients its foal needs to develop its supernatural powers. If a baby roperite is taken from its mother and raised on the milk of other animals, it never develops the abilities of Overwhelming Force or Damage Resistance, although a roperite who loses its mother just before its weaned may manifest stunted versions of these powers, assuming it can survive by hunting for itself. In either case, such roperites always grow to be small and weak.

*Adolescence*
As soon as it's weaned, the mother roperite abandons her offspring and returns to reclaim her territory. The juveniles live upon nigh-impenetrable mountainsides, eating rock-rats, birds and bats. Their favoured hunting grounds are colonies of nesting seabirds and roosting bats, they easily navigate the cliffs and cave-ceilings that protect such animals from ordinary predators. Immature roperites are not as territorial as adults, and several may share a particular bird or bat colony, provided there is enough food for them all.

Juvenile roperites remain in the mountains until they've grown into young adults, then descend to the foothills to join the other adult population. This takes 5 years or more, by which time they're large enough to easily tackle the foothills' largest herd animals, deer and wild pigs. The new adults wander about trying to establish a territory, often being forced to eke out a living in the narrow borders between the land claimed by larger, more mature roperites.

*Maturity*
Both males and female roperites may reach forty to sixty years of age in the wild before being overcome by senescence, though most fall prey to accident, disease or predation well before that. They can breed through their entire adult life, growing slowly as they age.

*Roperites of Different Sizes*

*Hatchling Roperite* (Small Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 2d10 (11hp); Init: +5; Speed: 60 ft. (12 squares), climb 60 ft.; AC: 19 (+1 size, +5 Dex, +3 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 14; Base Attack/Grapple: +2/-1[_+9 to maintain an Adhesion hold_]; Attack: Lariat +8 melee (1d2 plus adhesion) or beak +4 melee (1d3+1) or kick +4 melee (1d4+1) or stomp +4 melee (1d3+1 plus adhesion) or claw +4 melee (1d3); Full Attack: Lariat +8 melee (1d2 plus adhesion) or beak +4 melee (1d3+1) and kick -1 melee (1d4+1) or stomp -1 melee (1d3+1 plus adhesion) or 2 claws -1 melee (1d3); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft.; Special Attacks: Adhesion; Special Qualities: Cliff running, low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +1; Abilities: Str 13, Dex 20, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Skills: Climb +19, Jump +19, Hide +13, Listen +8, Spot +11; Feats: Alertness, Improved Bull RushB, Improved OverrunB, RunB; CR: 1)

*Juvenile Roperite*(Small Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 3d10 (16hp); Init: +5; Speed: 80 ft. (16 squares), climb 80 ft.; AC: 21 (+1 size, +5 Dex, +5 natural), touch 16, flat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+0 [_+10 to maintain an Adhesion hold or Beat or Rend a foe_]; Attack: Lariat +9 melee (1d2 plus adhesion) or beak +5 melee (1d3+1) or kick +5 melee (1d4+1) or stomp +5 melee (1d3+1 plus adhesion) or claw +5 melee (1d3); Full Attack: Lariat +9 melee (1d2 plus adhesion) or beak +5 melee (1d3+1) and kick +0 melee (1d4+1) or stomp +0 melee (1d3+1 plus adhesion) or 2 claws +0 melee (1d3); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft. (10 ft. with lariat); Special Attacks: Adhesion, beat (1d3+1), drag, lariat, overwhelming force [_+11 bull rush/overrun_], rend (2d3+2), shove (DC11, 1d3); Special Qualities: Cliff running, DR 3/magic, low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +3, Ref +8, Will +2; Abilities: Str 13, Dex 20, Con 11, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Skills: Climb +19, Jump +19, Hide +13, Listen +8, Spot +11; Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Bull RushB, Improved OverrunB, MobilityB, RunB, Spring AttackB; CR: 2)

*Young Adult Roperite* (Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 4d10+4 (26hp); Init: +4; Speed: 80 ft. (16 squares), climb 80 ft.; AC: 19 (+4 Dex, +5 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 15; Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+7 [_+17 to maintain an Adhesion hold or Beat or Rend foe_]; Attack: Lariat +8 melee (1d3+1 plus adhesion) or beak +7 melee (1d4+3) or kick +7 melee (1d6+4) or stomp +7 melee (1d4+3 plus adhesion) or claw +7 melee (1d4+1); Full Attack: Lariat +7 melee (1d3+1 plus adhesion) or beak +7 melee (1d4+3) and kick +2 melee (1d6+4) or stomp +2 melee (1d4+3 plus adhesion) or 2 claws +2 melee (1d4+1); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft. (10 ft. with lariat); Special Attacks: Adhesion, beat (1d4+3), drag, lariat, overwhelming force [_+17 bull rush/overrun_], rend (2d4+6) , shove (Ref DC16, Str DC17, 1d4+1); Special Qualities: Cliff running, DR 6/magic, low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +5, Ref +8, Will +2; Abilities: Str 17, Dex 19, Con 13, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Skills: Climb +23, Jump +23, Hide +10, Listen +8, Spot +11; Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Bull RushB, Improved OverrunB, MobilityB, RunB, Spring AttackB; CR: 4)

*Adult Roperite* (Medium Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 6d10+12 (45hp); Init: +8; Speed: 80 ft. (16 squares), climb 80 ft.; AC: 19 (+4 Dex, +5 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 15; Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+11 [_+21 to maintain an Adhesion hold or Beat or Rend foe_]; Attack: Lariat +11 melee (1d3+2 plus adhesion) or beak +11 melee (1d4+5) or kick +11 melee (1d6+7) or stomp +11 melee (1d4+5 plus adhesion) or claw +11 melee (1d4+2); Full Attack: Lariat +11 melee (1d3+2 plus adhesion) or beak +11 melee (1d4+5) and kick +6 melee (1d6+7) or stomp +6 melee (1d4+5 plus adhesion) or 2 claws +6 melee (1d4+2); Space/Reach: 5 ft./ 5 ft. (10 ft. with lariat); Special Attacks: Adhesion, beat (1d4+5), drag, lariat, overwhelming force [_+19 bull rush/overrun_], rend (2d4+10), shove (Ref DC17, Str DC19, 1d4+2); Special Qualities: Cliff running, DR 6/magic, low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +3; Abilities: Str 21, Dex 19, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Skills: Climb +25, Jump +25, Hide +10, Listen +9, Spot +12; Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Bull RushB, Improved Initiative, Improved OverrunB, MobilityB, RunB, Spring AttackB; CR: 5)

*Mature Adult Roperite* (Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 8d10+24 (68hp); Init: +8; Speed: 80 ft. (16 squares), climb 80 ft.; AC: 20 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +7 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple: +8/+19 [_+29 to maintain an Adhesion hold or Beat or Rend foe_]; Attack: Lariat +14 melee (1d4+3 plus adhesion) or beak +14 melee (1d6+7) or kick +14 melee (1d8+10) or stomp +14 melee (1d6+7 plus adhesion) or claw +14 melee (1d6+3); Full Attack: Lariat +14 melee (1d4+3 plus adhesion) or beak +14 melee (1d6+7) and kick +9 melee (1d8+10) or stomp +9 melee (1d6+7 plus adhesion) or 2 claws +9 melee (1d6+3); Space/Reach: 10 ft./ 5 ft. (15 ft. with lariat); Special Attacks: Adhesion, beat (1d6+7), drag, lariat, overwhelming force [_+25 bull rush/overrun_], shove (Ref DC18, Str DC25, 1d6+3), rend (2d6+14); Special Qualities: Cliff running, DR 6/magic, low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +9, Ref +10, Will +3; Abilities: Str 25, Dex 18, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Skills: Climb +27, Jump +27, Hide +8, Listen +9, Spot +12; Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Bull RushB, Improved Initiative, Improved OverrunB, MobilityB, RunB, Spring AttackB; CR: 7)

*Elder Roperite* (*Maximized) *(Large Magical Beast, Hit Dice: 12d10+48 (114hp); Init: +8; Speed: 80 ft. (16 squares), climb 80 ft.; AC: 20 (-1 size, +4 Dex, +7 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 16; Base Attack/Grapple: +12/+23 [_+33 to maintain an Adhesion hold or Beat or Rend foe_]; Attack: Lariat +18 melee (1d4+3 plus adhesion) or beak +18 melee (1d6+7) or kick +18 melee (1d8+10) or stomp +18 melee (1d6+7 plus adhesion) or claw +18 melee (1d6+3); Full Attack: Lariat +18 melee (1d4+3 plus adhesion) or beak +18 melee (1d6+7) and kick +13 melee (1d8+10) or stomp +13 melee (1d6+7 plus adhesion) or 2 claws +13 melee (1d6+3); Space/Reach: 10 ft./ 5 ft. (15 ft. with lariat); Special Attacks: Adhesion, beat (1d6+7), drag, lariat, overwhelming force [_+25 bull rush/overrun_], rend (2d6+14), shove (Ref DC20, Str DC25, 1d6+3); Special Qualities: Cliff running, DR 6/magic, low-light vision, scent; Saves: Fort +12, Ref +12, Will +7; Abilities: Str 25, Dex 18, Con 18, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 10; Skills: Climb +27, Jump +27, Hide +8, Listen +11, Spot +14; Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Bull RushB, Improved Initiative, Improved OverrunB, Iron Will, MobilityB, Power Attack, RunB, Spring AttackB; CR: 8)

*Feat Progression:* [1HD] Alertness, Improved Bull RushB, Improved OverrunB, RunB, [3HD] Endurance, MobilityB, Spring AttackB, [6HD] Improved Initiative, [9HD] Power Attack, [12HD] Iron Will?

*Ability Progression:* [4HD] +1 Dex, [8HD] +1 Dex, [12HD] +1 Con

*Notes*
There are conflicting accounts of a roperite's appearance, although all agree on a rope-like bill/snout whose end can coil into a lasso. Other sources describe an animal with the size and shape of a pony whose nose extends in a whiplike snout above a mouthful of razorlike teeth. Instead of hooves, its feet end in pads resembling a sealion's flippers. It may retain the rattlesnake tail.

If you prefer this variant, you only need to remove the claw attacks and change the beak attack to a bite with the same attack and damage values.

The ability to Shove a Diminutive or smaller creature without a speed cost is based on tales of it kicking aside/running over roadrunners without slowing, since a roadrunner is ~18-24 inches beak to tail & 0.5-1.5 pounds it's closest to Diminutive in size.

 I gave it cliff-running because one of the story says a roperite can run across any obstacle, so it made a kind of sense to include vertical ones. It also led to my explanation as to why the _*Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods*_ says no one has ever seen a young roperite.

Oh, there's a nice picture of a roperite *here*, by Richard Svensson. It appears to be based on the illustration in _*Fearsome Creatures of the Lumberwoods*_, but with a bit more of the theropod to it, complete with the addition of teeth. The version I statted up takes after the older illustration in that it has a toothless, heron-like bill.


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## Cleon (Nov 14, 2010)

After a long hiatus, I'm starting on some new Lumberwood critters.

Mostly this is because I've recently begun reading _*Who Fears The Devil*_ by Manly Wade Wellman, and his tales of Silver John contain plenty such beasties.

It inspired me to return to my notes and work on some of the critters I left unfinished or didn't even start on. I've got three or four that look like they have potential, and once I've done them I might do some homebrews based on some creatures from _*Who Fears The Devil*_.

Anyhow, to begin with I found a Critter I'd finished some time ago, but forgot to post here for some reason, so without further ado I present... the Splinter Cat.


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## Cleon (Nov 14, 2010)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Splinter Cat*

*Splinter Cat*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 5d10+10 (37 hp)
*Initiative:* +3
*Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares), climb 30 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 17 (+3 Dex, +4 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 14
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +5/+9
*Attack:* Axhead +9 melee (1d12+6/19-20×3)
*Full* *Attack:* Axhead +9 melee (1d12+6/19-20×3) and 2 claws +4 melee (1d3+2)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Ax-headed, flying headbutt
*Special* *Qualities:* Low-light vision, pounce, scent
*Saves:* Fort +6, Ref +7, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 18, Dex 17, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 5
*Skills:* Balance +11, Climb +12, Hide +8* (+12 in forests), Jump +20, Listen +9, Move Silently +8, Spot +5, Survival +3 (+7 track by scent)
*Feats:* Power Critical (axhead), Track (B), Weapon Focus (axhead)
*Environment:* Temperate forests
*Organization:* Solitary
*Challenge* *Rating:* 4
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 6-9 HD (Medium)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_The beast looks like a mountain lion except its head is shaped like an axe, complete with a razor-sharp edge._

Splinter cats are ornery carnivores who prey on creatures that lair inside trees. Their favorite foods are honey and raccoons, but they eat squirrel, bird or even wood-boring insects when such fare is unavailable. These beasts are nocturnal, spending the day sleeping in shallow burrows and hunting throughout the night. Once it finds a hollow tree containing food, the splinter cat hurls itself at the tree with terrifying force, smashing it to splinters with its ax-like head and then eating the exposed food. Breaking open trees with its head all night leaves it with a constant headache, explaining why splinter cats have infamously foul tempers. While they do not prey on humanoids, it’s extremely unwise to approach or obstruct a splinter cat.

Splinter cats have a keen nose and amazingly good hearing, to help them find prey hidden within trees.

A splinter cat is the size of a big cougar – from 8 to 9 feet long, including a yard of tail, with a shoulder height of about 2½ feet. They weigh 200-250 pounds.

*Combat*
Splinter cats believe a frenzied attack is the best form of defense. They may snarl a warning if they think another creature's just passing through, but if the cat feels threatened – or the intruder's just slow getting out of their way – they explode into violence. A splinter cat usually starts a fight with a Pounce. If the opponent doesn't quickly fall or flee, the splinter cat will use its Flying Headbutt attack.

Ornery to the last, splinter cats normally fight to the death rather than run away.

 *Ax-Headed (Ex):* A splinter cat’s ax-shaped head does slashing damage and threatens a critical on a roll of 19-20, inflicting triple damage if that critical is confirmed. If the cat makes a Charge or Dive attack its axhead does double damage (2d12+12, or 3d12+18 with a confirmed critical or Flying Headbutt attack). The splinter cat adds 1½ times its Strength bonus to its axhead attack’s damage. Furthermore, its axhead does full damage to creatures and objects with hardness values of 6 or less (such as trees) and ignores their hardness.

*Dive (Ex):* A splinter cat can use its ability to Fall Safely (see below) to make dive attacks, by leaping down upon a target from a tall tree or cliff. A diving splinter cat does double damage with its axhead attack (see Ax-Headed above).

*Fall Safely (Ex):* A splinter cat can reduce the damage it takes from a fall by 10 dice. The cat must be conscious and free to move to use fall safely, a paralyzed or bound splinter cat takes normal falling damage.

*Flying Headbutt (Su):* Once per minute, as a full-round action, a splinter cat can launch itself through the air like a catapult stone, leaping up to 200 ft. to make an axhead attack with a +4 bonus to hit that automatically does critical damage if it hits (+13 melee and 3d12+18 for a typical splinter cat). Alternatively, if a Flying Headbutt hits a nonmagical wooden object it smashes it to splinters, automatically destroying all parts of the object within a 5 ft. radius. Any creature inside the shattering wooden object, such as a raccoon nesting in a hollow tree, takes 5d8 sonic damage (DC 16 Fort save for half damage), while creatures outside the wooden object within a 20 ft. radius burst are hit by splinters for 5d6 piercing damage (DC 16 Ref save for half damage). The splinter cat takes no damage from the impact of its Flying Headbutt or any resulting explosion of splinters, but if it hits an object with a hardness of 5 or higher the cat must succeed at a Fortitude save (DC 10+hardness) or be stunned for 1d2 rounds and then staggered for 1d4 rounds. A splinter cat can use its Flying Headbutt to leap *through* a nonmagical wooden object less than 5 feet thick, landing on the far side. The save DCs are Strength-based.

*Pounce (Ex):* If a splinter cat charges a foe, it can make a full attack. (Note it cannot make a Flying Headbutt as a Charge attack, since that's a full-round action.)

 *Skills*
Splinter cats have a +4 racial bonus on Hide and Move Silently checks, a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, and Listen checks and a +12 racial bonus on Jump checks. A splinter cat can always choose to take 10 on a Climb or Jump check, even if rushed or threatened.

*In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth, the Hide bonus improves to +8.

*Splinter cats have a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 13* - Now a splinter cat's like a puma with the head of an ax. Splinter cats eat critters what live inside hollow trees, like raccoons or squirrels. They get to their food by hurling themselves face-first at trees, hitting so hard the tree smashes to kindling. A splinter cat sleeps during daytime in some cubby, then spends all night finding coon-trees to smash open. Those blasted cats can ruin whole stands of timber in a night.
*DC 18* - Splinter cats you say? Mean critters, _real_ mean. Smart folk never get in the way of a splinter cat, 'cause they've always got a sore head from splitting open trees with their face. Their favourite meat's raccoon you know. Heard of a fellow who went to sleep one night leaning against a tree while wearing a coon-skin cap. Splinter cat mistook him for a coon and jumped _right through _that tree. Blasted it apart like a thunderbolt. Fellow was ripped to death by the shrapnel.
*DC 23* - Ya, I know ze splinter cat. Zat cat, she really loves honey. If you wants to catch a splinter cat, I would say ze best bait to use is honey. Ze best time to kill a splinter cat is after she break a tree into little bits. Her face may be hard, but breaking a tree wiz her head make her dizzy, as you can well understand, and she may not fight so good.


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## freyar (Nov 15, 2010)

Didn't we do a splinter cat somewhere in the CC?  I'm getting a strong feeling of deja vu.  All over again!


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## Cleon (Dec 28, 2010)

freyar said:


> Didn't we do a splinter cat somewhere in the CC?  I'm getting a strong feeling of deja vu.  All over again!




Quite possibly. I've seen a few conversions of that critter floating around.

EDIT: Hold on, I'm answering a post Freyar made six weeks ago!

Oh well, better late than never. I guess I should check this thread more often...


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## Cleon (Jan 29, 2011)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Hugag*

*Hugag*
Huge Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 10d10+60 (105 hp)
*Initiative:* +0
*Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares, cannot run)
*Armor* *Class:* 15 (-2 size, +7 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 15
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +10/+30
*Attack:* Kick* +15 melee (1d10+6) or lip-slap* +15 melee (1d6+6 plus improved grab)
*Full* *Attack:* 2 kicks* +15 melee (1d10+6) or lip-slap* +15 melee (1d6+6 plus improved grab)
*Space/Reach:* 15 ft./10 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Constrict 1d6+12, enveloping lip, improved grab, trample 1d12+12, woodwarp
*Special* *Qualities:* Jointless legs, low-light vision, scent
*Saves:* Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +6
*Abilities:* Str 34, Dex 11, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4
*Skills:* Listen +15, Climb +0, Jump +4, Spot +7, Survival +2* [_+6 track by scent_], Swim +0
*Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Track
*Environment:* Temperate or cold forests
*Organization:* Solitary or family (1 female plus 1-3 young)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 6
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 11-15 HD (Huge); 16-30 HD (Gargantuan)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_This beast is BIG, at least twice as tall as a man, with a broad upper lip like a leather blanket as big as a tent. Its body resembles a moose, except it has the humped back and stubby horns of a buffalo. The creature has rigid legs without any knee or ankle joints, giving it a queer, stiff-legged gait._

A hugag is an enormous herbivore that roams deep woodlands. It has an vast upper lip averaging 6 to 8 feet long, which it uses to feed like an elephant uses its trunk. A hugag's lip is so broad – when uncurled it is as wide as it is long – it can strip a swathe of pasture bare in one pass, or simultaneously pluck all the twigs off a half-dozen branches. The upper lip is also so powerful a hungry hugag can use it to strip all the bark from around a tree, thereby killing the tree. This habit does not make hugags popular amongst lumberfolk.

A hugag can only bend its legs at the hip, so is unable to kneel or lie down. If it falls the beast is as helpless as an inverted tortoise, since its rigid legs make it nigh-impossible for the hugag to right itself again.

Hugags are wandering beasts. They must move constantly to find enough vegetation to fuel their huge bodies, and rarely sleep in the same spot once. Speaking of sleeping, they must perforce sleep upright due to their rigid legs. To avert the risk of falling over while they sleep, hugags lean against a support while resting – they prefer a sturdy tree, although a cliff or house will do in a pinch. Hugag bend the trunks of trees they sleep on (and will bend in the wall of a log cabin they treat as a support). Lumberfolk may claim this is due to the hugag's immense weight, but in truth it's down to an uncanny power to warp wood, which these creatures use to mould trees into comfortable supports and bend tree-limbs down for convenient grazing.

A typical hugag is about 13 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs 10 tons or more.

 *Combat*
Hugags are not aggressive creatures and prefer to flee if threatened. They may occasionally trample opponents who block their escape, but their rigid legs make this attack relatively easy to avoid. If cornered, hugags fight with clumsy but powerful blows from their forelegs and immensely muscular upper lip. A fighting hugag will wrap smaller opponents in its upper lip and constrict them, its lip is so broad it can envelop multiple enemies simultaneously.

*Constrict (Ex):* On a successful grapple check, a hugag deals 1d6+12 points of damage to opponents it holds in its lip.

*Enveloping Lip (Ex):* A hugag can use its enormous upper lip to envelop one or more opponents creatures as a standard action. It cannot make a kick or lip-slap attack during a round in which it envelops. The enveloping lip attack targets all Medium or smaller creatures within a 10 ft. square (15 ft. for a Gargantuan hugag). Opponents can make opportunity attacks against the hugag, but if they do so they are not entitled to a saving throw. Those who do not attempt attacks of opportunity must succeed on a DC 15 Reflex save or be enveloped; on a success, they are pushed back or aside (opponent’s choice) as the lip descends. Enveloped creatures are considered to be Entangled and the hugag 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 constrict. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

*Improved Grab (Ex):* To use this ability, a hugag must hit with its lip-slap 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 constrict.

*Jointless Legs:* A Hugag that has fallen prone must succeed at a DC 20 Dexterity check to regain its feet. A Hugag with ranks in the Tumbling skill can substitute a Tumble check for this Dexterity check.

*Trample (Ex):* Reflex half DC 19. The save DC is Strength-based and includes a -10 racial penalty.

*Woodwarp (Su):* A hugag can warp a wooden object up to its own size by touch. This supernatural ability has the same affects as the spell _warp wood_ (caster level equals hugag's hit dice) except it has a range of touch, only affects a single target, and the hugag can warp living wood such as trees as well as objects (it can not affect Plant monsters like treants no matter how  "wooden" they may be). A hugag can combine multiple consecutive uses of Woodwarp to warp (or unwarp) an object that is too big for it to warp with a single application.

*Skills*
Hugags have keen senses of hearing and smell, giving them a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks and on Survival checks to track by scent. Hugags have a -12 racial penalty on Climb, Jump and Swim checks. Hugags move very clumsily due to their jointless legs, so use their Dexterity modifier instead of the Strength modifier for Climb and Swim checks (provided their Dexterity is lower than their Strength).

 *Lore Checks*
*DC 16* - A hugag’s a forest-dwelling critter built something like a moose. They’s got a huge great lip as big as a blanket, a humped back like a buffalo and stubby horns. Their legs got no joints, so they walk all stiff-legged like they’re on crutches. Hugags spend their time wandering about looking for fodder. They use that big upper lip of theirs to feed off trees, eating leaves, pine-needles, twigs or bark.
*DC 21* - Damn those hugags! I had a fine stand of timber, but it was ruined by hugags. Those elk-sized ones you see hereabouts are just babies, full-grown hugags are big as elephants – or bigger! – with stomachs to match. One of them got into my timber and ruined the whole lot ‘fore they were ready to fell. That hugag stripped my trees down to the bare wood as high as it could reach, ate the leaves, twigs, bark and everything. Killed those trees dead that did. The few living trees it left, it bent so much the wood was hopeless for any use better than toothpicks. Hugags need to sleep standing up, see, ‘cause of their jointless legs, so lean against trees at night. They’re so heavy they can bend a tree backwards by leaning on it.
*DC 26* - Trouble with a hugag? Here’s a stratagem we used up North. Find the site the hugag likes to spend it nights and cut most of the way through the trees. Then, when the hugag leans on a tree to sleep, that tree breaks and the animal goes down. Fallen hugag are helpless, so its easy to dispatch them. It’s almost impossible for them to regain their feet by themselves, because of their jointless legs.

*Different Sizes of Hugag*
Here are various sizes of Hugag, from the nigh-legendary “Old Blanket Face”, who makes mammoths look small, to Large juveniles (the size were hugags leave their parents and wander far afield in search of new feeding grounds, making them a commonly encountered size of hugag).

*Juvenile Hugag* (Large Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 4d10+12 (34 hp); *Init:* +0; *Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares, cannot run); *AC:* 14 (-1 size, +5 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 14; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +4/+14; *Attack:* Kick* +4 melee (1d6+3) or lip-slap* +4 melee (1d4+3 plus improved grab); *Full Attack:* 2 kicks* +4 melee (1d6+3) or lip-slap* +4 melee (1d4+3 plus improved grab); *Space/Reach:* 10 ft./5 ft.; *Special Attacks:* Constrict 1d4+6, enveloping lip, improved grab, trample 1d8+6 [_Reflex half DC 8_], woodwarp; *Special Qualities:* Jointless legs, low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +2; *Abilities:* Str 22, Dex 11, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4; *Skills:* Listen +12, Climb +0, Jump -2, Spot +5, Survival +1* [_+5 track by scent_], Swim +0; *Feats:* Endurance, Track; *CR:* 3)

*Sub-Adult Hugag* (Huge Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 8d10+40 (84 hp); *Init:* +0; *Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares, cannot run); *AC:* 15 (-2 size, +7 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 15; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +8/+26; *Attack:* Kick* +11 melee (1d8+5) or lip-slap* +11 melee (1d6+5 plus improved grab); *Full Attack:* 2 kicks* +11 melee (1d8+5) or lip-slap* +11 melee (1d6+5 plus improved grab); *Space/Reach:* 15 ft./10 ft.; *Special Attacks:* Constrict 1d6+10, enveloping lip, improved grab, trample 1d10+10 [_Reflex half DC 14_], woodwarp; *Special Qualities:* Jointless legs, low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +11, Ref +6, Will +5; *Abilities:* Str 30, Dex 11, Con 20, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4; *Skills:* Listen +13, Climb +0, Jump +2, Spot +7, Survival +2* [_+6 track by scent_], Swim +0; *Feats:* Endurance, Iron Will, Track; *CR:* 5)

*Adult Hugag* (Huge Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 10d10+60 (105 hp); *Init:* +0; *Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares, cannot run); *AC:* 15 (-2 size, +7 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 15; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +10/+30; *Attack:* Kick* +15 melee (1d10+6) or lip-slap* +15 melee (1d6+6 plus improved grab); *Full Attack:* 2 kicks* +15 melee (1d10+6) or lip-slap* +15 melee (1d6+6 plus improved grab); *Space/Reach:* 15 ft./10 ft.; *Special Attacks:* Constrict 1d6+12, enveloping lip, improved grab, trample 1d12+12 [_Reflex half DC 19_], woodwarp; *Special Qualities:* Jointless legs, low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +6; *Abilities:* Str 34, Dex 11, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4; *Skills:* Listen +15, Climb +0, Jump +4, Spot +7, Survival +2* [_+6 track by scent_], Swim +0; *Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Track; *CR:* 6)

*Gargantuan Hugag* (Gargantuan Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 16d10+144 (232 hp); *Init:* +0; *Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares, cannot run); *AC:* 17 (-4 size, +11 natural), touch 6, flat-footed 17; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +16/+44; *Attack:* Kick* +29 melee (2d8+8) or lip-slap* +28 melee (1d8+8 plus improved grab); *Full Attack:* 2 kicks* +29 melee (2d8+8) or lip-slap* +28 melee (1d8+8 plus improved grab); *Space/Reach:* 20 ft./15 ft.; *Special Attacks:* Constrict 1d8+16, enveloping lip, improved grab, trample 3d6+16 [_Reflex half DC 24_], woodwarp; *Special Qualities:* Jointless legs, low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +19, Ref +10, Will +6; *Abilities:* Str 42, Dex 11, Con 28, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4; *Skills:* Listen +15, Climb +0, Jump +8, Spot +7, Survival +2* [_+6 track by scent_], Swim +0; *Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Power Attack, Track, Weapon Focus (kick); *CR:* 9)

Both 12HD and 16HD ability advances in Constitution.

*Old Blanket Face (Maximized Hugag)* (Gargantuan Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 30d10+270 (435 hp); *Init:* +1; *Speed:* 40 ft. (8 squares, cannot run); *AC:* 18 (-4 size, +1 Dex, +11 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 17; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +30/+59; *Attack:* Kick* +39 melee (3d8+8) or lip-slap* +38 melee (2d6+8 plus improved grab); *Full Attack:* 2 kicks* +39 melee (3d8+8) or lip-slap* +38 melee (2d6+8 plus improved grab); *Space/Reach:* 20 ft./15 ft.; *Special Attacks:* Constrict 2d6+17, enveloping lip, improved grab, trample 3d6+17 [_Reflex half DC 32_], woodwarp; *Special Qualities:* Jointless legs, low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +26, Ref +18, Will +17; *Abilities:* Str 44, Dex 12, Con 28, Int 2, Wis 12, Cha 4; *Skills:* Listen +16, Climb +1, Jump +9, Spot +10, Survival +4* [_+8 track by scent_], Swim +1, Tumble +5; *Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Improved Natural Weapon (kick), Improved Natural Weapon (lip-slap), Iron Will, Power Attack, Track, Weapon Focus (kick); *Epic **Feats:* Dire Charge, Epic Reflexes, Epic Will; *CR:* 13)

20HD advance in Dexterity, 24HD and 28HD ability advances in Strength.


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## Cleon (Jan 29, 2011)

Thought it was about time to add another Wondrous Critter.

I still have a few more of the beasties on the stove, but I'm in no hurry to finish them.

Hope you enjoy the Hugag, it ended up better than I thought it would.

Originally I fount the idea of a "stiff-legged moose" rather uninspiring, but with the addition of an enveloping lip a trample and _woodwarping_, they ended up more interesting than I initially thought they would.


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## freyar (Jan 29, 2011)

I really like the jointless legs for some reason, actually.


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## Cleon (Feb 7, 2011)

freyar said:


> I really like the jointless legs for some reason, actually.




Jointless legs certainly gives Hugags a certain _je ne sais quoi_, but I don't know what it is. 

I liked the Critters with telescoping legs quite a bit, too.

Anyhow, there are still some more fearsome beasties to come, once I can stir myself into activity!


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## Cleon (Feb 16, 2012)

Cleon said:


> Anyhow, there are still some more fearsome beasties to come, once I can stir myself into activity!




The sleeping Cleon stirs! Releasing another Lumbercritter from the woodpile, followed by another Lumbercritter!


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## Cleon (Feb 16, 2012)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Black Hodag*

*Hodag, Black*
Large Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 8d10+32 (76 hp)
*Initiative:* +0
*Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 16 (-1 size, +7 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +8/+20
*Attack:* Gore +15 melee (2d6+12) or tail-spear +15 melee (1d8+8/×3)
*Full* *Attack:* Gore +15 melee (2d6+12) and tail-spear +10 melee (1d8+4/×3)
*Space/Reach:* 10 ft./ 5 ft. (10 ft. with tail-spear)
*Special* *Attacks:* Excavate, stink, stunning charge, swallow whole, tail-spear, trample 1d12+12
*Special* *Qualities:* Blindspot, low-light vision, scent
*Saves:* Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +5
*Abilities:* Str 26, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 6
*Skills:* Hide +3* [_+11 in variegated terrain_], Listen +10, Spot +4, Swim +16
*Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Track* (B)*
*Environment:* Temperate forests and swamps
*Organization:* Solitary, pair or family (1-2 plus 3-13 hatchlings or pups)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 6
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 9-11 HD (Large); 12-24 HD (Huge)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

_Its difficult to tell exactly what it looks like, for the creature's hairless hide is covered with mottles, stripes and checks that break up its outline, but its body is roughly the size and shape of a rhinoceros. A row of sharp spikes runs down its spine from the spear-tip of its long tail to a pair of bull-like horns atop its head. Another horn sprouts from its nose, this third horn is shaped like a spade and shields much of its face, but does not hide a wide mouth full of protruding tusks. When the beast turns or lowers its head to see out of its beady eyes it reveals that the face behind its spade-horn is disturbingly human in its features. The beast's short, thick legs end in wide, somewhat flipper-like, paws set with huge blunt claws._

The hodag described above is the larger and more dangerous species, often called the Black Hodag after its dark markings. There is also a smaller and more innocuous species the size of a large dog, this Lesser Hodag is described below.

Hodags are omnivores, mainly eating roots and slow-moving animals such as snakes, turtles and muskrats – they are too slow to catch swift prey. A black hodag's favourite food is porcupine. When the hodag comes across a porcupine sleeping in a tree, it uses its spade-horn to dig out the tree's roots until the tree falls down, porcupine and all, whereupon the hodag tramples the porcupine and swallows it head first.

A black hodag's tusks and horns are excellent tools for killing and digging, but are poorly suited for slicing or grinding their food; they "chew" their meals in a gizzard rather than their jaws. Therefore, black hodags prefer prey small enough to be swallowed whole. A hodag's stomach acids are powerful enough to completely dissolve bones, turtle shells and porcupine quills.

Hodags sleep in dens, either natural caves or burrows they dug out with their spade-horns. These dens are only used for resting and breeding. A hodag may be away from its den pursuing other activities at any time of day or night, but is most active during the hours of darkness; they do most of their hunting in the twilight of dusk and dawn. Very rarely, the den contains incidental treasure – usually the indigestible possessions of a hodag's victims.

Despite being large and powerful beasts, black hodags are rarely dangerous to mankind. If a hodag smells or hears a humanoid it typically tries to avoid them. They occasionally kill and eat humanoids, but these rare events usually only occur when the black hodag was starving hungry; the humanoid seemed weak, injured, or particularly small and juicy looking (halflings beware!); and/or the humanoid came threateningly close to the hodag's eggs or young. That said, there are terrifying legends of "Giant Man-Eating Hodag" lurking in the depths of certain great swamp-forests.

Hodags lay eggs and are dedicated parents. They breed in early spring, forming mated pairs which set up a breeding den which contains a pile of sand mixed with decomposing compost. The female lays her clutch of eggs in this compost pile, and then lies alongside this nest-mound until they hatch. A female black hodag lays from 5 to 15 eggs the size and shape of ostrich eggs, with leathery green-black shells in colour. The male guards the female and fetches food for her. Hodags do not produce milk, they feed their young on regurgitated pap or whole items of food small enough for the infants to swallow. The males _usually_ stay with the females until their pups have become semi-independent, but some leave as soon as the eggs are laid or hatched.

At the end of autumn, a hodag covers itself all over with pitch and mud and rolls in dead leaves until it is completely encased in a thick, warm mantle of leaves, in which condition it hibernates through winter.

Black hodags are very intelligent animals, and could be useful assistants in any task that requires excavation or great strength, but black hodag are too wild and wilful to be tamed by non-magical means. Lesser hodags are about as smart as dogs and can be tamed and taught tricks.

A typical black hodag has a body between 8 and 10 feet long, with a tail of similar length, and weighs about 3000 pounds.

*Combat*
A black hodag looks fearsome but is not a vicious creature. They generally flee from threats, only attacking when cornered or sorely angered. A riled hodag will charge, gore or trample opponents; if the hodag incapacitates a small creature it may pause to swallow them. Badly injured or desperate hodags will use their stink attack – hodags mostly save their stink for emergencies, since their stink-glands takes a week to replenish.

A hodag can not make a gore and a tail-spear attack against the same opponent when it makes a full attack, it must direct these attacks against separate foes.

Being far more cunning than ordinary animals, some black hodags develop stratagems for catching prey or dealing with opponents. Examples include digging pitfalls (usually covered by swamp water), toppling trees or setting off mudslides to crush or bury enemies, releasing their stink at the beginning of a fight, and camouflage themselves in a mantle of leaves to assist an ambush (+5 circumstance bonus on Hide checks). Black hodags have been known to teach these stratagems to their offspring.

*Blindspot (Ex):* A hodag's spade-horn means it cannot see anything in front of itself. Any creature being observed by a hodag can make Hide checks against the hodag by simply using the creature's own horn as cover, provided the hodag is within 40 ft.

*Excavate (Su):* A hodag can use its spade-shaped horn to excavate dirt (clay, loam, sand) or material of similar consistency with supernatural speed. A Large hodag can dig out two 5-ft. cubes of dirt for each full round of excavation, a Huge hodag can excavate four 5-ft cubes in a round. Any object in the excavated volume (e.g. tree-roots) that has less than hardness 10 will take twice the hodag’s bite damage (4d6+24 damage), with a Strength-based DC 22 Fortitude save for half damage; harder objects are unharmed.

*Stink (Ex):* Once a week, a hodag can produce a 100 ft. diameter cloud of vapour with an incredibly rank odour (150 ft. for a Huge hodag). Every creature within the cloud (except for hodags, troglodytes and dire skunks) must succeed at a DC 18 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d6 rounds and then sickened for 2d6 minutes, those that succeed are still sickened for 2d6 rounds. The stink has a +4 circumstance bonus against creatures with the scent special quality, resulting in a DC 22 Fortitude save. A _delay poison_ or _neutralize poison_ spell counteracts the stink's effect on a nauseated or sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws. The save DC is Constitution-based.

This stink is incredibly persistent; any object within the area of effect will smell foul for a period of 3d4 months unless they're cleaned at least three times using suitable agents (e.g. tomato juice, soup and vinegar). This lingering stench imposes no combat penalties but makes creatures easier to track by scent (usually a +2 circumstance bonus, but ranges from +1 to +4 depending on how "fresh" and strong the stench). However, if the stinking creature passes through an area previously sprayed by hodag stink the scent-trail becomes almost impossible to follow (–20 circumstance penalty), as the stink is indistinguishable from everything else in the area. Lingering stink may also impose a–1 to –4 circumstance penalty to social skill checks.

Note that hodags are normally contaminated by their own lingering stench, so may be easy to track by scent. Also, a hodag can track creatures through areas of hodag stink without penalty, due to its immunity to the stink.

*Stunning Charge (Ex):* When a hodag charges, its gore attack deals 3d6+16 points of damage. If it hits the opponent must succeed at a DC 22 Fortitude save or be stunned for 1 round. The save DC is Strength-based.

*Swallow Whole (Ex):* A hodag can try to swallow an opponent up to 2 sizes smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check. The opponent is entitled to an attack of opportunity. Hodags can swallow opponents with spiny defences (such as porcupines or foes wearing spiked armour) without injuring themselves – although if the opponent can attack with its spines or thorns they can still use them to make its attack of opportunity.

Once inside, the opponent takes 1d8+8 points of crushing damage plus 8 points of acid damage per round from the hodag's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 20 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 17). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Large hodag's gizzard can hold 2 Small, 8 Medium, 32 Tiny, or 128 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

A hodag's gizzard is armoured to resist spiny foods, so has the hodag's full natural armour bonus, not half the bonus like most creatures with Swallow Whole.

*Tail-Spear (Ex):* A hodag's tail-spear does piercing damage and has the Reach of a tall creature, it does triple damage if it confirms a critical hit.

*Trample (Ex):* Reflex half DC 22. The save DC is Strength-based.

*Skills*
Hodags have a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks and on Survival checks to track by scent. A hodag 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 hodag's patchwork colouration gives it a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in swamp thickets, forests, and any other terrain with similar broken shadows and/or variegated colours.

*Lore Checks*
*DC 16* - A hodag's huge as a mammoth… No!, they're big as a big dog. … it's a vicious maneater, with savage tusks. Bunkum!, they's as scared of people as a kicked cat. It's got horns like a bull… Pshaw!, the horn's like a spade on its nose. There's spike like a spear-blade on the end of its tail. Bullhooey!, the spikes run down its back! Hodags hatch from eggs and stink like a polecat's wedding. Even fools know that, just like they know hodag sleep in caves they burrow out with their noses! You interrupt me one more time and I'll smash yer… Now now lads, can't we agree that hodag's are so sneaky no-one in these parts has got a good enough look at one to say for sure what they look like?

*DC 21* - There be two breed of hodag. The Black Hodag is big as a rhino, and has roughly the same outline. The reg'lar, or lesser hodag, looks the same  is much smaller, 'bout the size of a fat rotweiler. Both kinds of hodag are shy creatures who prefer to hide from men. They have smooth, naked skin covered in random blotches and stripes that make excellent camouflage in forest, badlands and other rough terrain. Those marks are dark as pitch on the largest breed of hodag, which is why it's called The Black Hodag.

Hodag walk on four legs, their bodies is thick and barrel-shaped, and they has thick tails with a sharp, spear tip on the end. A row of spikes runs all the ways down their backs. A hodag's head is mighty large, with horns like a bull and another huge, spade-shaped horn on the nose. That nose-horn is used for digging, which all hodag are surpassing good at. 

If you frighten a hodag, it can produce a stink compared to which a skunk is like a bunch of posies. The hodag will have skedaddled and be miles away by the time you've finished retching. A cornered hodag fights more viciously than a wild pig, goring terrible wounds with their horns and tail-spear.

*DC 26* - Hodags eat both plants and animals, but mostly live off roots they dig up. Hodag don't usually eat animals too large for them to swallow. Unfortunately, the largest Black Hodags are big enough to swallow folk whole, and there's talk some of them become maneaters. A Black Hodag's favourite food is porcupine, and they'll dig a tree up by its roots to get to a porcupine in its branches. So if you want to trap a hodag, use a porcupine for bait.

One curious trait of a hodag is their nose-horns are so big they block off part their vision, so if you stand right in front of a hodag it can't see you

*Different Sizes of Black Hodag*
Infant hodags are more precocious than newly born mammals; they are able to walk and swallow whole food as soon as they are born, although without their parents' protection few infant hodags would survive to adulthood. Hodag hatchlings have short, sharp nose-horns (an adaptation for breaking out of their eggs), which gradually become spade shaped as the hodag grows, becoming fully functional spades when the hodag is as big as a human. A hatchling's tail is flattened for swimming and hasn't got a spear-tip, thought the infant quickly develops a spear to help defend itself.

Hodags hatch with functional (and fully-charged!) stink-glands, and instinctively release their stink when frightened or startled. It may take some time for an infant hodag to learn to save its stink for when it's _really_ endangered. A hodag's stink-cloud grows increasingly potent and tenacious as the beast develops, according to the following table:

*Hodag Stink Table
**Age        ' ' ' ' ' Fortitude    ' Cloud      '' Nausea       ' '' Sickness
            ' ' ' '' ' ' ' Save DC    ' Diameter   (rounds) (rounds/minutes)
*Hatchling    ' '' 10 [14]    ' ' 10 ft.        '' 1           ' ' '' ' ' 1d2
Pup ' ' '' '          ' 11 [14]    ' ' 20 ft.        '' 1           ' ' '' ' ' 1d3
Juvenile     ' ' ' 13 [17]    ' ' 30 ft.       ' 1d2          ' ' ' ' ' 1d4
Big Juvenile ' 14 [18]    ' ' 40 ft.       ' 1d3          ' ' ' ' ' 1d6
Adolescent   ' ' 16 [20]    ' ' 60 ft.       ' 1d4          ' ' ' ' ' 1d8
Adult        ' '' ' ' 18 [22]   '' 100 ft.       ' 1d6          ' ' ' ' ' 2d6
Huge         ' ' ' ' ' 21 [25]   '' 150 ft.       ' 1d8          ' ' ' ' ' 2d8
Maximized    '' ' 29 [33]   '' 150 ft.       ' 1d8          ' ' ' ' ' 2d8

*Hodag Hatchling* (Tiny Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* ½d10 (2 hp); *Initiative:* +1; *Speed*: 15 ft. (3 squares), swim 20 ft.; *Armor Class:* 14 (+2 size, +1 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 13; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +1/–9; *Attack:* Gore +1 melee (1d3–2); *Full Attack:* Gore +1 melee (1d3–2); *Space/Reach:* 2½ ft./ 0 ft.; *Special Attacks:* Stink [_10 ft. diameter, DC10 (DC14 if scent) or 1 round nausea plus 1d2 minutes sickness, 1d2 rds sickness on save_], swallow whole [_up to Diminutive, 1d4–2 crushing plus 1 acid, gizzard AC11, 2 hp_]; *Special Qualities:* Low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +2, Ref +3, Will +0; *Abilities:* Str 6, Dex 12, Con 11, Int 5, Wis 11, Cha 6; *Skills:* Hide +10* [_+18 in variegated terrain_], Listen +5, Spot +1, Swim +9; *Feats:* ; *CR:* 1/6)

Hatchling hodags have sharply pointed nose-horns and flattened, spear-less tails. Hatchling hodags do not have a racial bonus to Listen checks, but can use their Dexterity modifier on Swim checks.

A typical hodag hatchling is roughly a foot long and weighs a pound or so.

*Hodag Pup* (Small Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 1d10+1 (6 hp); *Initiative:* +1; *Speed*: 20 ft. (4 squares), swim 20 ft.; *Armor Class:* 15 (+1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 12, flat-footed 14; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +1/–2; *Attack:* Gore +3 melee (1d4+1) or tail-spear +3 melee (1d3+1/×3); *Full Attack:* Gore +3 melee (1d4+1) and tail-spear –2 melee (1d3/×3); *Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.; *Special Attacks:* Stink [_20 ft. diameter, DC11 (DC15 if scent) or 1 round nausea plus 1d3 minutes sickness, 1d3 rds sickness on save_], swallow whole [_up to Diminutive, 1d4+1 crushing plus 2 acid, gizzard AC13, 5 hp_], tail-spear; *Special Qualities:* Blindspot [_opponents within 10 ft. can Hide from hodag_], low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +3, Ref +3, Will +1; *Abilities:* Str 12, Dex 12, Con 13, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 6; *Skills:* Hide +6* [_+14 in variegated terrain_], Listen +6, Spot +2, Swim +9; *Feats:* Endurance, Track (*B)*; *CR:* 1/2)

Hodag pups are large and active infants, fond of swimming in brooks and swamp pools near their parent's den. Their nose-horns are large enough to give them a small blindspot and their tails have a spear large enough to fight with. Hodag pups have learned enough to control their involuntarily stink reflex, but may still accidentally release their stink when excited.

A typical hodag pup is 18 inches to 2 feet long and weighs around 15 to 20 pounds.

*Juvenile* *Black Hodag* (Medium Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 3d10+6 (22 hp); *Initiative:* +1; *Speed*: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.; *Armor Class:* 16 (+1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +3/+6; *Attack:* Gore +6 melee (1d6+4) or tail-spear +6 melee (1d4+3/×3); *Full Attack:* Gore +6 melee (1d6+4) and tail-spear +1 melee (1d4+1/×3); *Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.; *Special Attacks:* Excavate [_2d6+8 if hardness < 10, Fort DC14 for half_], stink [_30 ft. diameter, DC13 (DC17 if scent) or 1d2 rounds nausea plus 1d4 minutes sickness, 1d4 rds sickness on save_], swallow whole [_up to Tiny, 1d6+3 crushing plus 3 acid, gizzard AC15, 10 hp_], tail-spear; *Special Qualities:* Blindspot [_opponents within 20 ft. can Hide from hodag_], low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2; *Abilities:*Str 16, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 6; *Skills:* Hide +4* [_+12 in variegated terrain_], Listen +8, Spot +4, Swim +11; *Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Track (*B)*; *CR:* 2)

A black hodag this size is old enough to leave its parents or has already done so. They have complete control of their stink attack and can excavate soil with their spade-horn (one 5 ft. cube per round). Apart from their higher Intelligence and Charisma, juvenile black hodags have the same statistics as adult lesser hodags (see below).

A typical juvenile is 3 feet long and weighs about 150 pounds.

*Big Juvenile* *Black Hodag* (Medium Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 4d10+8 (30 hp); *Initiative:* +1; *Speed*: 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.; *Armor Class:* 16 (+1 Dex, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +4/+8; *Attack:* Gore +8 melee (1d8+6) or tail-spear +8 melee (1d6+4/×3); *Full Attack:* Gore +8 melee (1d8+6) and tail-spear +3 melee (1d6+2/×3); *Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.; *Special Attacks:* Excavate [_2d8+12 if hardness < 10, Fort DC16 for half_], stink [_40 ft. diameter, DC14 (DC18 if scent) or 1d3 rounds nausea plus 1d6 minutes sickness, 1d6 rds sickness on save_], swallow whole [_up to Tiny, 1d6+4 crushing plus 4 acid, gizzard AC15, 10 hp_], tail-spear; *Special Qualities:* Blindspot [_opponents within 30 ft. can Hide from hodag_], low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +6, Ref +5, Will +2; *Abilities:* Str 18, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 6; *Skills:* Hide +4* [_+12 in variegated terrain_], Listen +9, Spot +4, Swim +12; *Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Track (*B)*; *CR:* 3)

This is just a juvenile that's half-grown or unusually large, few young hodag this size are still staying with their parents.

A big juvenile hodag is typically 4 or 5 feet long and weighs about 450 pounds.

*Adolescent* *Black Hodag* (Large Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 6d10+18 (51 hp); *Initiative:* +0; *Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.; *Armor Class:* 16 (-1 size, +7 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +6/+16; *Attack:* Gore +11 melee (1d10+9) or tail-spear +11 melee (1d6+6/×3); *Full Attack:* Gore +11 melee (1d10+9) and tail-spear +6 melee (1d6+3/×3); *Space/Reach:* 10 ft./ 5 ft.; *Special Attacks:* Excavate [_2d10+18 if hardness < 10, Fort DC19 for half_], stink [_60 ft. diameter, DC16 (DC20 if scent) or 1d4 rounds nausea plus 1d8 minutes sickness, 1d8 rds sickness on save_], stunning charge [_2d8+12 plus Fort DC19 or stun 1 round_], swallow whole [_up to Small, 1d8+6 crushing plus 6 acid, gizzard AC17, 15 hp_], tail-spear, trample [_1d12+9, Ref DC19 for half_]; *Special Qualities:* Blindspot [_opponents within 40 ft. can Hide from hodag_], low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +5; *Abilities:* Str 22, Dex 10, Con 17, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 6; *Skills:* Hide +2* [_+10 in variegated terrain_], Listen +9, Spot +4, Swim +14; *Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Track (*B)*; *CR:* 5)

Adolescent black hodags have much shorter tails than mature adults, but can be just as big. They are big and powerful enough to make stunning charges and trample their enemies. An adolescent hodag is independent of its parents, and is generally wandering about seeking to establish a territory for itself.

A typical adolescent is 7 or 8 feet long and weighs about 2000 pounds.

*Adult* *Black Hodag* (Large Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 8d10+32 (76 hp); *Initiative:* +0; *Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.; *Armor Class:* 16 (-1 size, +7 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +8/+20; *Attack:* Gore +15 melee (2d6+12) or tail-spear +15 melee (1d8+8/×3); *Full Attack:* Gore +15 melee (2d6+12) and tail-spear +10 melee (1d8+4/×3); *Space/Reach:* 10 ft./ 5 ft. (10 ft. with tail-spear); *Special Attacks:* Excavate [_4d6+24 if hardness < 10, Fort DC22 for half_], stink [_100 ft. diameter, DC18 (DC22 if scent) or 1d6 rounds nausea plus 2d6 minutes sickness, 2d6 rds sickness on save_], stunning charge [_3d6+16 plus Fort DC22 or stun 1 round_], swallow whole [_up to Small, 1d8+8 crushing plus 8 acid, gizzard AC17, 20 hp_], tail-spear, trample [_1d12+12, Ref DC22 for half_]; *Special Qualities:* Blindspot [_opponents within 40 ft. can Hide from hodag_], low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +5; *Abilities:* Str 26, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 6; *Skills:* Hide +3* [_+11 in variegated terrain_], Listen +10, Spot +4, Swim +16; *Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Iron Will, Track (*B)*; *CR:* 6)

An adult black hodag has a body between 8 and 10 feet long, with a tail of similar length, and weighs about 3000 pounds.

*Huge Black Hodag* (Huge Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 12d10+60 (126 hp); *Initiative:* –1; *Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.; *Armor Class:* 17 (-2 size, -1 Dex, +10 natural), touch 7, flat-footed 17; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +12/+30; *Attack:* Gore +20 melee (4d6+15) or tail-spear +20 melee (2d6+10/19-20×3); *Full Attack:* Gore +20 melee (4d6+15) and tail-spear +15 melee (2d6+5/19-20×3); *Space/Reach:* 15 ft./ 10 ft. (15 ft. with tail-spear); *Special Attacks:* Excavate [_8d6+30 if hardness < 10, Fort DC26 for half_], stink [_150 ft. diameter, DC21 (DC25 if scent) or 1d8 rounds nausea plus 2d8 minutes sickness, 2d8 rds sickness on save_], stunning charge [_6d6+20 plus Fort DC26 or stun 1 round_], swallow whole [_up to Medium, 2d6+10 crushing plus 8 acid, gizzard AC20, 25 hp_], tail-spear, trample [_3d6+15, Ref DC26 for half_]; *Special Qualities:* Blindspot [_opponents within 40 ft. can Hide from hodag_], low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +13, Ref +7, Will +7; *Abilities:* Str 30, Dex 9, Con 21, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 6; *Skills:* Hide +2* [_+10 in variegated terrain_], Listen +10, Spot +4, Swim +18; *Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Improved Critical (tail), Improved Natural Attack (gore), Iron Will, Track (*B)*; *CR:* 8)

A Huge black hodag has a body roughly 12 feet long, with a tail of similar length, and weighs 4000 pounds or more.

*Maximized Black Hodag ("Giant Man-Eating Hodag")*(Huge Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 24d10+168 (300 hp); *Initiative:* +0; *Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.; *Armor Class:* 18 (-2 size, +10 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 18; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +24/+44; *Attack:* Gore +34 melee (4d6+18) or tail-spear +34 melee (3d6+12/19-20×3); *Full Attack:* Gore +34 melee (2d6+18) and tail-spear +29 melee (3d6+6/19-20×3); *Space/Reach:* 15 ft./ 10 ft. (15 ft. with tail-spear); *Special Attacks:* Excavate [_8d6+30 if hardness < 10, Fort DC34 for half_], stink [_150 ft. diameter, DC29 (DC33 if scent) or 1d8 rounds nausea plus 2d8 minutes sickness, 2d8 rds sickness on save_], stunning charge [_6d6+24 plus Fort DC29 or stun 1 round_], swallow whole [_up to Medium, 2d6+12 crushing plus 8 acid, gizzard AC20, 25 hp_], tail-spear, trample [_3d6+18, Ref DC29 for half_]; *Special Qualities:* Blindspot [_opponents within 40 ft. can Hide from hodag_], low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +21, Ref +16, Will +16; *Abilities:* Str 34, Dex 10, Con 24, Int 5, Wis 14, Cha 6; *Skills:* Hide +7* [_+15 in variegated terrain_], Listen +14, Spot +8, Swim +20; *Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Improved Critical (tail), Improved Natural Attack (gore), Improved Natural Attack (tail), Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Track* (B)*; *Epic Feats:* Dire Charge, Epic Will; *CR:* 12)

This great beast is mighty enough to view humans as prey to gulp down.

The giant man-eating hodag's body and tail are each about 15 feet long, it weighs some 8000 pounds.


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## Cleon (Feb 16, 2012)

*Fearsome Critters from Lumberjack Tales - The Lesser Hodag*

*Lesser Hodag*
Medium Magical Beast
*Hit* *Dice:* 3d10+6 (22 hp)
*Initiative:* +1
*Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.
*Armor* *Class:* 16 (+1 Dexterity, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 15
*Base* *Attack/Grapple:* +3/+6
*Attack:* Gore +6 melee (1d6+4) or tail-spear +6 melee (1d4+3/×3)
*Full* *Attack:* Gore +6 melee (1d6+4) and tail-spear +1 melee (1d4+1/×3)
*Space/Reach:* 5 ft./ 5 ft.
*Special* *Attacks:* Excavate, stink, swallow whole, tail-spear
*Special* *Qualities:* Blindspot, low-light vision, scent
*Saves:* Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +2
*Abilities:* Str 16, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 2, Wis 13, Cha 3
*Skills:* Hide +4* [_+12 in variegated terrain_], Listen +8, Spot +4, Swim +11
*Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Track* (B)*
*Environment:* Temperate forests and swamps
*Organization:* Solitary, pair or family (1-2 plus 3-13 hatchlings or pups)
*Challenge* *Rating:* 2
*Treasure:* None
*Alignment:* Always neutral
*Advancement:* 4-5 HD (Medium); 6-9 HD (Large)
*Level* *Adjustment:* —

Lesser hodag are similar in appearance to black hodags except they are much smaller in size, slightly leaner in build, and have bullish faces instead of the oddly human features of the black hodag. The habits of the lesser hodag are much the same as the black hodag, the main differences are as follows:

Firstly, lesser hodags are far less intelligent than the black variety, being roughly as smart as a dog. They are also more tractable, and can be trained to perform tasks.

Secondly, lesser hodags have teeth better suited for biting off food, so don't limit themselves to prey they can swallow to the degree their larger cousins do. Thus, when a lesser hodag kills its favourite prey of porcupine it tears its meal apart with its tusks and eats it piecemeal.

Thirdly, lesser hodag lay only a few eggs (rarely more than 4) resembling over-large green-black crocodile eggs in their shape and leathery shells. The eggs are unusually big for a creature of a lesser hodag's size and are laid one at a time, a day or two apart. They tend to hatch in the order they were laid, and the oldest pups get first pick of the food and attention. The youngest pup is often a runt who only survives if the year is particular abundant.

A lesser hodag's body is typically around 3 feet long, with a tail of similar length; they weigh about 150 pounds.

*Combat*
Lesser hodag are even less aggressive than black hodags, but are more likely to use their stink attack when threatened. They only fight to defend themselves, goring with their sharp tusks and horns or stabbing with their tail-spear.

A hodag can not make a gore and a tail-spear attack against the same opponent when it makes a full attack, it must direct these attacks against separate foes.

*Blindspot (Ex):* A hodag's spade-horn means it cannot see anything in front of itself. Any creature being observed by a hodag can make Hide checks against the hodag by simply using the creature's own horn as cover, provided the hodag is within 20 ft.

*Excavate (Su):* A hodag can use its spade-shaped horn to excavate dirt (clay, loam, sand) or material of similar consistency with supernatural speed. A Medium sized lesser hodag can dig out a 5-ft. cube of dirt for each full round of excavation, a Large hodag can excavate two 5-ft cubes in a round. Any object in the excavated volume (e.g. tree-roots) that has less than hardness 10 will take twice the hodag’s bite damage (2d6+8 damage), with a Strength-based DC 14 Fortitude save for half damage; harder objects are unharmed.

*Stink (Ex):* Once a week, a lesser hodag can produce a 30 ft. diameter cloud of vapour with an incredibly rank odour (60 ft. for a Large hodag). Every creature within the cloud (except for hodags, troglodytes and dire skunks) must succeed at a DC 13 Fortitude save or be nauseated for 1d2 rounds and then sickened for 1d4 minutes, those that succeed are still sickened for 1d4 rounds. The stink has a +4 circumstance bonus against creatures with the scent special quality, resulting in a DC 17 Fortitude save. A _delay poison_ or _neutralize poison_ spell counteracts the stink's effect on a nauseated or sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws. The save DC is Constitution-based.

This stink is incredibly persistent; any object within the area of effect will smell foul for a period of 3d4 months unless they're cleaned at least three times using suitable agents (e.g. tomato juice, soup and vinegar). This lingering stench imposes no combat penalties but makes creatures easier to track by scent (usually a +2 circumstance bonus, but ranges from +1 to +4 depending on how "fresh" and strong the stench). However, if the stinking creature passes through an area previously sprayed by hodag stink the scent-trail becomes almost impossible to follow (–20 circumstance penalty), as the stink is indistinguishable from everything else in the area. Lingering stink may also impose a–1 to –4 circumstance penalty to social skill checks.

Note that hodags are normally contaminated by their own lingering stench, so may be easy to track by scent. Also, a hodag can track creatures through areas of hodag stink without penalty, due to its immunity to the stink.

*Swallow Whole (Ex):* A lesser hodag can try to swallow an opponent up to 2 sizes smaller than itself by making a successful grapple check. The opponent is entitled to an attack of opportunity. Hodags can swallow opponents with spiny defences (such as porcupines or foes wearing spiked armour) without injuring themselves – although if the opponent can attack with its spines or thorns they can still use them to make its attack of opportunity.

Once inside, the opponent takes 1d6+3 points of crushing damage plus 3 points of acid damage per round from the hodag's gizzard. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 10 points of damage to the gizzard (AC 15). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out. A Large hodag's gizzard can hold 2 Small, 8 Medium, 32 Tiny, or 128 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

A hodag's gizzard is armoured to resist spiny foods, so has the hodag's full natural armour bonus, not half the bonus like most creatures with Swallow Whole.

*Tail-Spear (Ex):* A hodag's tail-spear does piercing damage and has the Reach of a tall creature, it does triple damage if it confirms a critical hit.

*Skills*
Hodags have a +4 racial bonus to Listen checks and on Survival checks to track by scent. A hodag 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 hodag's patchwork colouration gives it a +8 racial bonus on Hide checks in swamp thickets, forests, and any other terrain with similar broken shadows and/or variegated colours.

*Different Sizes of Lesser Hodag*
Use the Different Sizes of Black Hodag, except for the following changes:

●  Lesser hodag have Intelligence 2 and Charisma 3.
●  Lesser hodag do not gain a stunning charge or trample attack like a black hodag. 
●  Having fewer special attacks than a black hodag lowers their Challenge Rating: CR 4 for 6 HD, CR 5 for 8 HD.
●  The maximum size a lesser hodag reaches is 9 Hit Dice, as follows:

*Maximized Lesser Hodag* (Large Magical Beast, *Hit Dice:* 9d10+36 (85 hp); *Initiative:* +0; *Speed:* 30 ft. (6 squares), swim 20 ft.; *Armor Class:* 16 (-1 size, +7 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 16; *Base Attack/Grapple:* +9/+21; *Attack:* Gore +16 melee (3d6+12) or tail-spear +16 melee (1d8+8/×3); *Full Attack:* Gore +16 melee (3d6+12) and tail-spear +11 melee (1d8+4/×3); *Space/Reach:* 10 ft./ 5 ft. (10 ft. with tail-spear); *Special Attacks:* Excavate [_6d6+24 if hardness < 10, Fort DC22 for half_], stink [_100 ft. diameter, DC18 (DC22 if scent) or 1d6 rounds nausea plus 2d6 minutes sickness, 2d6 rds sickness on save_], stunning charge [_4d6+16 plus Fort DC22 or stun 1 round_], swallow whole [_up to Small, 1d8+8 crushing plus 8 acid, gizzard AC17, 20 hp_], tail-spear, trample [_1d12+12, Ref DC22 for half_]; *Special Qualities:* Blindspot [_opponents within 40 ft. can Hide from hodag_], low-light vision, scent; *Saves:* Fort +10, Ref +6, Will +6; *Abilities:* Str 26, Dex 10, Con 19, Int 5, Wis 13, Cha 6; *Skills:* Hide +4* [_+12 in variegated terrain_], Listen +10, Spot +4, Swim +16; *Feats:* Alertness, Endurance, Improved Natural Attack (gore), Iron Will, Track (*B)*; *CR:* 6)


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