Pathfinder Unlocked

Someday, love will find you. Break those chains that bind you.

Artwork is the Chain Golem from the D&D 3e Monster Manual 2, copyright TSR and Wizards of the Coast.

Chain wardens are constructs designed to guard high-level magical prisons, and to capture and re-imprison both escapees and intruders. Obviously, any reasonably combat-capable creature is a perfectly good guard, but I wanted to create something that was very explicitly prison-themed. D&D 3.5e's chain golems were a nice starting point, but way too low level for what I wanted to go for.

Chain Warden - CR 15

This huge tangled mass of chains rattles as it moves across the ground. Dozens of manacles, hooks, and spikes are attached to the ends of the chains.

XP 51,200 N Huge construct Init +4 Senses see in darkness, see invisibility; Perception +12 Aura containment field (50 ft.)

DEFENSE

AC 29, touch 12, flat-footed 25 (+4 Dex, +17 natural, -2 size) hp 195 (21d10+80); fast healing 15 Fort +15, Ref +11, Will +9 DR 15/adamantine and slashing Immune construct traits Resist cold 30, sonic 30

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft. Melee +1 cold iron spiked chain +27 (3d6+8 and fettered curse) Melee +1 cold iron spiked chain +21/+16/+11/+6 (3d6+8 and fettered curse) and 3 +1 cold iron spiked chains +17/+17/+17 (3d6+4 and fettered curse) Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. (20 ft. with spiked chain) Special Attacks fettered curse

Spell-like Abilities (CL 18th; concentration +13)     Constant—clarion call, see invisibility     1/day—ironcage (DC 17; see text)     At will—alarm, open/close, quickened reach shackle (DC 22), wizard lock

STATISTICS

Str 24, Dex 18, Con —, Int —, Wis 14, Cha 10 Base Atk +21; CMB +29; CMD 43 Skills Perception +12, Stealth -14; Racial Modifiers -10 Stealth, +10 Perception SQ cold iron construction, spiked chain mastery

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Cold Iron Construction (Ex) A chain warden's entire body counts as magical cold iron. In addition to the normal effects of cold iron, this grants it a +40 bonus to its hit points and a +8 bonus to Fortitude saves; these bonuses are already included in its statistics above.

Containment Field (Su) A chain warden emits a 50-foot radius aura that makes leaving its presence or attacking beyond the boundary of this aura difficult. Any creature other than a chain warden within this aura has all of its movement speeds halved, and treats targets as having concealment (a 50% miss chance) when making a ranged attack against a target outside of the aura.

Fettered Curse (Su) Once per round, when a chain warden hits a creature with a melee attack with a spiked chain, it can attempt to inflict a curse on the target. The target must succeed on a DC 22 Will save against a curse effect or become permanently cursed with the fettered curse. A creature cursed in this way is entangled and cannot fly, swim, or teleport. The chain warden that inflicted the curse can spend a move action to attempt to teleport a cursed target to a space adjacent to it. A DC 22 Will save resists the teleportation effect. If the space the target appears in is in midair, the target can make a DC 22 Reflex save to avoid taking falling damage and landing prone. The save DCs are Constitution-based and include a +2 racial bonus.

Ironcage (Sp) Once per day, as a standard action, as a spell-like ability, a chain warden can create a cage made of magical cold iron in the shape of a 20-ft. cube, which lasts for 24 hours. It can create this cage within close range (typically 70 ft.), and any creatures or objects within the area of the cage are trapped inside unless they succeed at a DC 17 Reflex save. A creature that succeeds on this saving throw can immediately move out of the way. If the cage is created in midair, both the cage itself and any trapped targets take falling damage as the cage plummets to the ground (the cage's hardness applies against this falling damage, as normal).

This cage is made of bars that are half an inch wide, with half-inch gaps between them. Any creature capable of passing through such a small space can escape; others are confined within the barred cage. It's impossible to attack a creature in a barred cage with a weapon unless the weapon can fit between the gaps. Even against such weapons (including arrows and similar ranged attacks), a creature in the barred cage has cover. All spells and breath weapons can pass through the gaps in the bars.

The barred cage has 14 hardness and 35 hit points, and a break DC of 30, as if made of cold iron with a +2 enhancement bonus. The cage weighs 3000 lbs. (too heavy for a chain warden to carry in combat, but possible for it to stagger around with or drag).

Treat this as a 7th-level conjuration (creation) spell. The spell is dismissable. Spell resistance does not apply.

Quickened Reach Shackle (Sp) At will, as a swift action, a chain warden can cast shackle as a spell-like ability as if it were modified by Reach Spell and Quicken Spell metamagics. It gains a +10 racial bonus to the DC of this spell-like ability.

The manacles or fetters summoned by this spell-like ability are enhanced as though an emerald with a value of 2000 gp were used as a material component, giving them hardness 30, 60 hit points, immunity to being broken with a Strength check, and a dimensional anchor effect with a duration of 18 minutes.

Spiked Chain Mastery (Ex) A chain warden's melee attacks count as +1 cold iron spiked chains (and can be used as such by other creatures once the chain warden is destroyed), and the chain warden can reach an additional 5 ft. when attacking with them. It can attack with up to four spiked chains when making a full-attack action, making iterative attacks with one of them and treating the others as off-hand attacks with three other limbs.

A chain warden can use these spiked chains to perform grapple, drag, and reposition maneuvers, performing these maneuvers in place of a melee attack and using the weapon's reach and magical bonus when doing so. It does not provoke an attack of opportunity when performing a combat maneuver with a spiked chain.

Break through or be broken.

Artwork is by ConvergenceGameParts.

You can give this template to an ice-themed boss, or you can flavor it more like a generic magic crystal theme and make it fit with a wide variety of arcane magic type bosses. It's useful for when you have a large party of players and want to separate them. It's also useful for when you have a battlefield with ranged enemy minions or important features, which you want to separate the players from.

Most of my boss templates increase the amount of time the boss survives by increasing its HP and giving it ways to recover, but this one instead does so by giving it total cover until the walls are destroyed, and letting it attack through that total cover. If you give it to a boss that only has melee attacks, it should use its walls to force a 1v1 with one of the PCs, but a boss with ranged abilities should instead separate itself from all of the PCs.

If your group is high enough level to have trivial semi-permanent access to flight or teleportation, don't use this template. Limited access which costs them resources is fine, though, especially if only some of the party can do it.

Dividing Wall Boss

Dividing Wall is an inherited template that can be added to any creature of at least CR 7.  A dividing wall boss retains all the base creature's statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2.

Saving Throws: A dividing wall boss gains a +4 bonus on all saving throws if it hasn't used its dividing wall ability yet today.

Defensive Abilities: A dividing wall boss gains immunity to whatever type of damage the dividing wall deals (cold, sonic, or force).

Special Attacks: A dividing wall boss gains the following special attacks:

A cursed victim of the jungle, buried alive.

Artwork is in-game art from Runescape, copyright Jagex.

This monster, along with the word broodoo (which is obviously voodoo magic with the serial numbers filed off, and is not explained further), originates from Runescape.

Broodoo victims are the result of ancient, terrible acts performed by tribal magic users in the jungle. These curses were sanctioned by the warlords and kings of tribes at the time, who, for reasons unknown, sentenced criminals to be simultaneously starved, poisoned, and diseased until on the brink of death, and then buried alive. Whatever god the broodoo priests thought they might appease this way, the actual result was that these criminals eventually rose as cursed undead. Decades later, when they started clawing their way out of the earth one by one, trees were planted over their buried corpses to prevent them from rising. But when these trees die or are cut down, the broodoo victims emerge. This has led to beliefs that the jungle is sacred and must be protected, lest it unleash a horde of cursed undead on those who molest it or let it wither.

The basic concept of this monster is that it's quite difficult to damage without using the correct kind of healing on it, and will rejuvenate like a bloody skeleton if you beat it down with brute force. Bloody skeletons return unless the area is protected by a bless or hallow spell, but I am 100% confident that's a printing error and it's supposed to be a consecrate or hallow spell, so I used those two spells for this monster.

In Runescape, each broodoo victim is either starved, poisoned, or diseased, and the player must figure out which one based on the zombie's skin color (green, yellow, or gray) and use the correct healing method on it. In Pathfinder, having just one of these three healing methods available is already pretty rare, so I went with the idea that every broodoo victim suffered all three fates and thus all three healing methods work.

Broodoo Victim - CR 7

XP 3,200 CE Medium undead Init +4 Senses darkvision 60 ft., tremorsense 60 ft., scent; Perception +3

DEFENSE

AC 24, touch 14, flat-footed 20 (+4 Dex, +8 natural, +2 shield) hp 71 (11d8+22) Fort +5, Ref +7, Will +10 Defensive Abilities channel resistance +6, deathless DR 10/— Immune mind-affecting effects, undead traits Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, force 10, sonic 10 Weaknesses broodoo feasting, broodoo recovery

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., burrow 10 ft. Melee 2 slams +14 (1d8+6 plus broodoo curse) Special Attacks misfortune (DC 18)

Spell-like Abilities (CL 6th; concentration +8)     At will—nauseating dart (ranged attack +14, DC 13)

STATISTICS

Str 22, Dex 19, Con —, Int —, Wis 16, Cha 14 Base Atk +8; CMB +14; CMD 28 Languages Necril (cannot speak) Gear large wooden shield

EQUIPMENT ABILITIES

Shield Mask A broodoo victim wears its shield on its head as a mask instead of in one hand, leaving both of its hands free to attack. However, it can still be disarmed as if the broodoo victim were wielding it in hand. A broodoo victim's vision is supernaturally not impeded while wearing a shield in this way, and in fact it is blinded if the shield is removed.

In the hands of any other creature, the shield functions as a normal large wooden shield.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Broodoo Curse (Su) Whenever a broodoo victim damages a target with its slam attack, it can choose to inflict either a poison, a disease, or a starvation effect on the target.

Poison (Su) Slam—injury; save Fort DC 17; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1 Wis and 1 Int damage; cure 1 save. Disease (Su) Slam—injury; save Fort DC 17; onset immediate; frequency 1/day; effect 1d2 Str damage; cure 1 save. Starvation (Su) If a broodoo victim chooses to inflict a starvation effect on the target of its slam, the target begins starving as if affected by the Feast of Ashes spell. A DC 17 Fortitude save negates the starvation effect; the save DC is Charisma-based. See the starvation rules for more details.

Broodoo Feasting (Su) If a broodoo victim is offered food, it will take the food as a move action and devour it whole as a standard action; it can devour as much food in one standard action as it can hold in both hands. Doing so causes 10 points of positive energy damage to the broodoo victim, as the starvation that helped kill the creature ends and the curse on its body is cleansed. A single broodoo victim will only accept and eat food in this way 5 times.

Broodoo Recovery (Su) If a broodoo victim is healed with an item that functions as remove disease or neutralize poison, or otherwise removes or allows another saving throw against a disease or poison, the broodoo victim does not resist the effect (although it will continue fighting). Treat the effect as if attempting to remove a disease or poison with a DC of 17. If the effect would successfully remove this disease or poison, the broodoo victim takes 50 points of positive energy damage, as the affliction that helped kill the creature ends and the curse on its body is cleansed. A single broodoo victim can only be healed of disease in this way once, and can only be healed of poison in this way once.

Deathless (Su) A broodoo victim is destroyed when reduced to 0 hit points, but its corpse immediately decomposes and melds with the earth. It reforms and returns to unlife 1d4 days later at full hit points underground in the place it originally died. A broodoo victim can be permanently destroyed if it is destroyed by Broodoo Feasting or Broodoo Recovery, or if it is reduced to 0 hit points in the area of a consecrate or hallow spell.

How can you look at that face and not think it's a friend?

Artwork is concept art from Final Fantasy 2.

The birostris is a pretty minor random enemy from Final Fantasy 5 (although the concept art above is from a different land ray from Final Fantasy 2, since I couldn't find any art of the Birostris itself). The birostris's transfusion ability is pretty unique and memorable though, sacrificing itself to heal another creature, and being learnable by blue mages in the player party. Transfusion is used by several other enemies across Final Fantasy 5 and 6, including some undead and aberrations, but I like the idea of an otherwise relatively normal animal having this kind of ability. It's hard to find low-level wildlife enemies in Pathfinder that have real special abilities that actually affect the gameplay in a meaningful way.

Birostrises - birostri? - are herbivores which live in the swamplands and are not inherently aggressive or territorial. However, they have a unique method of surviving: groups of birostri will join forces with carnivores and other more dangerous creatures, and protect them. These carnivores will avoid eating the birostri because, on some instinctive level, even wild animals understand that their healing abilities are more useful than their meat as a food source. The birostri, valuing the survival of their group rather than their individual survival, will sacrifice themselves to heal these wounded predators. Once only a single birostris of each sex remains, they leave the predator. As a result, it's common to find groups of these creatures traveling with various other more dangerous animals in the swamps.

In most cases, a birostris will wait until either it or its ally is at 0 HP or lower before using its transfusion ability.

Mechanically, this might be a good minion to give some sort of monster trainer or hunter type boss, since it can keep the boss alive and active. But my real goal was to provide an interesting normal enemy, not an interesting boss minion.

If a player dominates this thing, it provides an incredibly powerful benefit to high level characters, so be careful about using this monster at higher levels. It should be critically endangered.

Birostris - CR 2

A flat-backed scaled creature with dozens of legs, or possibly small tentacles, slides across the ground, resembling a sting ray. Its tail has a large prong on the end, and its maw is filled with rows of long yellow teeth.

XP 600 N Medium animal Init +3 Senses Perception +6

DEFENSE

AC 15, touch 13, flat-footed 12 (+3 Dex, +2 natural) hp 22 (3d8+9) Fort +6, Ref +6, Will +3

OFFENSE

Speed 15 ft., swim 30 ft. Melee bite +4 (1d6+2), sting +4 (1d4+1 plus poison) Special Attacks transfusion

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 16, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 8 Base Atk +2; CMB +4; CMD 17 Feats Diehard, Endurance Skills Perception +6, Stealth +7, Swim +14 SQ amphibious

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Poison (Ex) Sting—injury; save Fort DC 14; frequency 1/round for 4 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex and overwhelmed 1 round; cure 1 save.

An overwhelmed creature is staggered and cannot concentrate. If an overwhelmed creature attacks or casts a spell, it falls prone and becomes helpless until the beginning of its next turn after doing so. Effects that would remove or prevent the paralyzed or nauseated conditions also remove or prevent the overwhelmed condition.

Transfusion (Ex) As a standard action, a birostris can sacrifice itself by implanting its stinger into a willing adjacent ally and pumping its ally full of a revitalizing serum. The birostris dies, and the ally immediately gains a number of hit points equal to the birostris's remaining hit points (minimum 0), plus all of the benefits of a full day of rest. Any harmful conditions or ailments that have a duration or otherwise removed or reduced from the target as if 24 hours had passed, but ailments with a frequency .

Don't let the lights go out. And don't blink.

Artwork is in-game art from Isekai: Slow Life. There's also a female version in Isekai: Demon Waifu. Both games are copyright Mars Games.

While most gargoyles are sculpted to look like devils or monsters, lamp caller gargoyles have attractive humanoid forms. Like other gargoyles, they typically prefer a lonely existence with a handful of other gargoyles in a desolate or ruined area, but while most gargoyles will hide from visitors or attack them, lamp caller gargoyles are known to intentionally lure travelers to their doom. Lamp caller gargoyles disguise themselves as statues in obvious locations where they are sure to be discovered, and when spoken to or attacked, they pretend to apologize profusely for the deception and flee. Those who follow them will find themselves lured into a trap, most commonly a room with many more gargoyles.

Obscuring Beacon is a very unusual feat, so I've included the effects of it in the monster's special abilities.

Lamp Caller Gargoyle - CR 13

A lifelike stone statue of a nude, winged person with horns is perched above the doorway, gazing down.

XP 25,600 NE Medium monstrous humanoid (earth) Init +11 Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +19

DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 17, flat-footed 21 (+7 Dex, +11 natural) hp 185 (16d10+42) Fort +12, Ref +18, Will +13 DR 10/adamantine

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft., fly 60 ft. (average) Melee 2 claws +23 (1d6+6), tail slap +21 (1d6+3 plus lamp burst strike) Special Attacks lamp burst strike

STATISTICS

Str 22, Dex 24, Con 22, Int 13, Wis 16, Cha 18 Base Atk +16; CMB +22 (+24 grapple); CMD 37 (39 vs. grapple) Feats Hover, Improved Initiative, Multiattack, Obscuring Beacon, Skill Focus (Fly), Weapon Focus (tail slap), Weapon Focus (claw), Vital Strike Skills Bluff +20, Fly +25, Perception +19, Knowledge (dungeoneering) +10, Spellcraft +15, Stealth +28 (+35 in stony areas); Racial Modifiers +2 Stealth (+6 in stony areas) Languages Common, Terran SQ lamp's shimmer, stone form freeze

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Lamp Burst Strike (Su) When a lamp caller gargoyle attacks with its tail strike, all targets except for lamp caller gargoyles within a 15-ft. radius burst emanating from the target's space are blinded for 1d3 rounds and take 5d8 damage from a blast of searing light. An undead creature instead takes 10d6 damage, and an undead creature particularly vulnerable to bright light instead takes 10d8 damage. A construct or inanimate object takes only 5d6 damage. A DC 22 Reflex save halves the damage, and a DC 22 Will save negates the blinding effect. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Lamp's Shimmer (Su) The lamp on a lamp caller gargoyle's tail leaves a shimmering trail of glowing motes of light in the air. Any creature that a lamp caller gargoyle moves adjacent to, or that moves adjacent to it, is automatically affected as though by fairie fire for 1 minute (no save), and takes a -4 penalty to Perception checks for as long as the faerie fire effect lasts.

Additionally, a lamp caller gargoyle's lamp sheds normal light in a 15 foot radius and dim light for another 15 feet beyond that. The lamp is part of the lamp caller gargoyle's body, but counts as a carried lamp for the purposes of the Obscuring Beacon feat.

Obscuring Beacon When in an area that would be dim or darker without the lamp it carries, a lamp caller gargoyle's foes within the normal light radius shed by its lamp take a -1 penalty on attack rolls against other targets that are also within the radius of the lamp's light. Blind creatures aren’t affected by this feat.

Stone Form Freeze (Su) A lamp caller gargoyle can hold itself so still it appears to be a statue, as the freeze universal monster ability. A lamp caller gargoyle that uses freeze can take 20 on its Stealth check to hide in plain sight as a stone statue.

A reverse siren that steals people’s voices and leaves them silent.

Artwork by Gulfiya Shchekotova at Behance.

I won’t apologize for this enemy’s name.

A sirence is a creature that uses its flute or voice to create an entrancing magical silence, functioning similarly to the song of a siren or a pied piper.  This is not telepathic sound; rather, the absence of sound is beautifully created in such a way as to be as pleasing as any song.

Sirences despise loud noise.  Even though their aura can suppress the noise around them, the knowledge that it exists is still unbearable to them.  They will steal the voices of creatures responsible for noises that bother them, but will usually attempt to do so without causing other harm, using their spells and special abilities to pacify their targets.  Sirences only resort to violence when their targets resist their enchantments and fight back.

The silent song ability is based on a siren’s siren song ability, but with some changes to make it actually interactive instead of just a save-or-suck ability.  I made the same changes to the siren itself in my Unlocked Siren creature, my redesign of the standard siren.

Sirence - CR 15

The gray-skinned woman’s lower body is that of a skeletal fish tail, and she holds a flute to her mouth, from which an irresistible silence can be heard.  Magical illusions formed from green flames surround it, depicting the skeletons of small glowing green fish and other creatures that swim through the air.

XP 51,200 LN Medium monstrous humanoid Init +8 Senses darkvision 60 ft., true seeing; Perception +21 Aura silence aura (240 ft.)

DEFENSE

AC 30, touch 15, flat-footed 25 (+7 armor, +4 Dex, +1 dodge, +4 natural, +4 shield) hp 199 (21d10+84) Fort +11, Ref +18, Will +19 Immune mind-affecting effects

OFFENSE

Speed 10 ft., fly 40 ft. (poor), swim 40 ft. Melee +2 bladed scarf +28/+23/+18/+13 (1d6+5/19-20 plus steal voice) and tail slap +20 (1d6+1 plus poison) or tail slap +25 (1d6+3 plus poison) or touch +25 (steal voice) Special Attacks bardic performance, silent song, sneak attack +4d6

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 17th; concentration +25)     Constant—shield, true seeing     3/day—feast on fear (DC 23, see increase spells), mass charm monster (DC 27), forgetful slumber (DC 23, see increase spells)     At will—silence (DC 21), silent image (DC 20), telepathic silence (DC 23)

STATISTICS

Str 15, Dex 19, Con 18, Int 16, Wis 24, Cha 27 Base Atk +21; CMB +23; CMD 38 Feats Bleeding Critical, Critical Focus, Dodge, Flyby Attack, Improved Critical (bladed scarf), Improved Initiative, Lightning Reflexes, Spell Focus (enchantment), Spell Focus (illusion), Weapon Finesse, Weapon Focus (bladed scarf) Skills Bluff +18, Fly +18, Knowledge (history) +15, Knowledge (local) +15, Perception +21, Perform (sing) +29, Perform (wind) +31, Spellcraft +18, Stealth +25, Swim +14 Languages Aquan, auran, common; truespeech, telepathy 100 ft. SQ increase spells Gear +2 bladed scarf, +2 sensing kikko armor, mwk flute

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bardic Performance (Su) A sirence may use the distraction, inspire courage (+2), inspire competence (+3), suggestion, and dirge of doom bardic performances as an 8th-level bard (28 rounds/day).  It can start these performances as a move action.  Levels in the bard class stack with this ability.  A sirence’s bardic performances are performed by silently playing its flute or silently singing, and have no audible components; they never require targets to hear them, even when they normally would.

A sirence can use a bardic performance at the same time as its Silent Song ability.

Increase Spells (Su) When a sirence casts a spell that only affects creatures up to a certain limit of hit dice, such as feast on fear or forgetful slumber, it can double that limit by increasing the casting time of the spell to a 1-round action.  This does not affect spells that already require a 1-round action or longer to cast.

Poison (Ex) Tail Slap—injury; save Fort DC 24; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d2 Dex, Wis and Cha damage; cure 1 save.

Silence Aura (Su) A sirence is surrounded by an aura of complete silence with up to a 240 ft. radius, although it can reduce the radius of this aura if it wishes (or turn it off completely, as normal for any aura).   All sound within the area of a sirence’s aura is stopped: conversation is impossible, spells with verbal components cannot be cast, and no noise whatsoever issues from, enters, or passes through the area.  Creatures in an area of a sirence’s silence aura are immune to sonic or language-based attacks, spells, and effects.

Silent Song (Su) As a move action, a sirence can begin to play or “sing” a silent song that nevertheless captivates creatures.  It can continue this silent song as a free action on each turn thereafter.  When a sirence uses its Silent Song, all creatures except for other sirences within a 240-foot radius must succeed on a DC 28 Will save or become affected by one of its songs (see below).  The effect depends on the type of song the sirence chooses, and continues for as long as the sirence continues its Silent Song and the target remains within the radius, and for 1 round thereafter.  A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same song for 1 hour.  These are mind-affecting effects.  The save DC is Charisma-based.

Continuing the Silent Song is a free action, and changing which song it is singing is a standard action.  Whenever a sirence that is performing a Silent Song takes damage or is subjected to an effect that would require a concentration check when casting a spell, it must make a concentration check (typically with a +25 bonus) to maintain the Silent Song, treating it as a fifth-level spell.

Creatures that fail their saving throw behave in one of the following four ways, which the sirence chooses when it begins its silent song.

Captivation: A sirence’s song has the power to infect the minds of those that it touches, calling them to the sirence’s side.  A victim under the effects of the captivating song moves toward the sirence using the most direct means available.  If the path leads the victim into a dangerous area such as through fire or off a cliff, that creature receives a second saving throw to end the effect before moving into peril.  Captivated creatures can take no actions other than to defend themselves.  A victim within 5 feet of the sirence simply stands and offers no resistance to the sirence’s attacks.  If the captivated creature takes any amount of damage, the effect ends.  This is a mind-affecting charm effect.

Fascination: Affected creatures are fascinated.

Obsession: An obsessed victim becomes defensive of the sirence and does all it can to prevent harm from coming to her, going so far as attacking its allies in her defense.  The victim is not controlled by the sirence, but views her as a cherished ally.  This is a mind-affecting charm effect.

Slumber: The victim immediately falls asleep, rendering the creature helpless.  While the sirence is using its slumber song, no noise will wake the sleeping creature, though slapping or wounding it does.  The creature wakes up on its own 1 round after the sirence ends this song.

Steal Voice (Su) Any creature hit by a sirence’s touch or bladed scarf attacks must make a DC 28 Will save or permanently lose its ability to speak.  During that time, the creature cannot talk, cast spells with verbal components, use auditory bardic performances, or use any other ability that requires speech.  Once a sirence has stolen a creature’s voice, it can perfectly mimic that voice at any time, unless the victim somehow regains its voice.  Those familiar with an individual’s voice can make a Sense Motive check opposed by the sirence’s Bluff check to realize a mimicked voice is inauthentic.  This is a curse effect.  The save DC is Charisma-based.

A creature whose voice was stolen by a sirence regains its voice when the sirence dies, or can recover it with a Remove Curse spell or similar effect.

This is the wrong way, traveler.

Artwork by Muhammad Irsan on Displate.

I used to hate haunts and always let players attack them like incorporeal creatures. In the types of campaigns I was running at the time, with the way I used haunts, the obscure and seemingly impossible-to-determine criteria to destroy them was something that the players usually had no reason or even method to engage with, and the fact that only one character could even hurt the haunt made them really unenjoyable to use as encounters.

Then I started running a magical girl campaign where the main theme is enemies that are manifested from people's emotional negative energy, with enemies that rejuvenate after 24 hours unless the NPC's emotional problems are resolved. And now I understand haunts. Despite the apparent horror theme, they're not that great for gritty dark fantasy campaigns and underground crypts. Because when you put haunts in places that players leave and never return to, the mechanics about how to permanently solve them don't matter. They're much better used in urban campaigns about talking to people.

The haunt creation rules don't include any numbers or examples for some pretty obvious things like "triggered in a line instead of a radius" or "only affects a single creature" but fortunately, I, the god-emperor of Pathfinder design, have determined that the former is a good justification for doubling the length of the line, and the latter is worth -2 CR.

Gate of Misery - CR7

HAUNT

XP 3,600 LE haunt (line up to 70 ft. long) Caster Level 10th Notice Perception DC 20 (to notice dark energy forming on the top of the gate) hp 14 Trigger location Reset 24 hours

TRIGGER

This haunt occupies the area of a gate, such as a doorway, archway, or torii gate. A creature that passes through the gate triggers the effect.

EFFECT

When a creature passes through the gate, black lightning bolts fire downward from the top of the gate. The creature that passes through the gate must succeed on a DC 23 Reflex save or be struck by this black lightning and take 8d6 electricity damage. A creature that fails its Reflex save must then also succeed on a DC 23 Will save or be permanently cursed to be unable to benefit from morale bonuses.

DESTRUCTION

Opponent battlepower measurement coefficient equals zero. Therefore: Attack not required.

Artwork is official art from Black Magic M-66, by Masamune Shirow.

Created to hunt down and annihilate high-value targets such as political and military leaders, M-66 anti-personnel robots are ultra-deadly killing machines. Their humanoid form allows them to make use of centuries of martial arts expertise programmed into their combat routines.

M-66 robots cannot speak, causing many to underestimate their intelligence. Though they don't really understand the nuances of communication, they have an artificial intelligence that's capable of understanding Common better than most mindless constructs, a skill they use when searching for clues that will help them locate their target. They single-mindedly hunt for the target they've been assigned to kill, and once they find said target, they immediately engage in all-out combat, at which point they tend to cause mass destruction and have absolutely no consideration for collateral damage or civilian casualties. If approached by other creatures that they discern are even semi-plausibly defending their target, they will immediately kill those secondary targets.

If the target isn't at the location an M-66 expects, it will tear the place apart searching for the target, often leaving buildings in rubble, and then create an improvised trap at that location before leaving, such as a falling block trap. Pathfinder's insane trap-making rules state that hooking up falling rubble to a tripwire costs 1250 GP and takes just under four years to complete; that's stupid, but fixing it is beyond the scope of this blog, so I just gave the M-66 a special ability to bypass it. The wilderness trap rules are also pretty good, but they don't cover urban scenarios.

If captured or otherwise rendered helpless, an M-66 will activate its self-destruct ability. If multiple M-66 robots are acting as a group, a badly damaged M-66 might also activate this self-destruct ability if it believes it is about to be destroyed and could plausibly take some enemies out with it. However, if an M-66 is alone, then it will not use its self-destruct unless captured - it will take any slim chance to complete the mission.

This creature comes from the manga Black Magic, and more notably from the anime adaptation Black Magic M-66. Also, this is a commissioned monster.

If 39 strength seems high, this thing picked up and threw a humvee in the anime. Those things weigh 5500 lbs. Incidentally, the M-66 weighs about the same amount by my estimate. When it jumps, the floorboards break where its foot lands, and when it walks up a metal staircase, the stairs bend under its weight.

Branch Pounce is an unusual feat, so I included the text of it below.

M-66 Anti-Personnel Robot — CR 12

The only thing you see before the metallic humanoid battle robot comes somersaulting through the air towards you is the glow of its laser eye.

XP 19,200 N Medium construct (robot) Init +8 Senses darkvision 60 ft., lifesense 60 ft., low-light vision; Perception +20

DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 14, flat-footed 24 (+4 Dex, +14 natural) hp 148 (16d10+60) Fort +12, Ref +14, Will +11 Defensive Abilities hardness 10, maneuver defense, resilient Immune construct traits Weaknesses vulnerable to critical hits, vulnerable to electricity

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft. Melee unarmed strike +30/+25/+20/+15 (1d10+14) Ranged integrated x-laser +20 touch (5d6 fire, see text) Special Attacks flurry of maneuvers, flying kick, improved maneuvers, self-destruct

STATISTICS

Str 39, Dex 18, Con —, Int 16, Wis 12, Cha 1 Base Atk +16; CMB +30; CMD 44 Feats Branch Pounce, Catch Off-Guard, Following Step, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Unarmed Strike, Step Up, Step Up and Strike, Throw Anything Skills Acrobatics +20, Climb +20, Craft (traps) +15, Knowledge (local) +11, Perception +20, Survival +13, Stealth +20 Languages Common (cannot speak) SQ improvised trap expert

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Branch Pounce (Ex) When charging a target by jumping down from above (such as when jumping out of a tree), an M-66 anti-personnel robot can soften its fall with a melee attack. If the attack at the end of its charge hits, the attack deals damage as normal and the M-66 robot also deals the amount of falling damage appropriate to your fall to its target (1d6 points for a 10-foot fall, 2d6 points for a 20-foot fall, and so on). This falling damage is not multiplied on a critical hit.

The M-66 anti-personnel robot lands in an unoccupied square of its choosing adjacent to the target, and takes falling damage as if its fall had been 10 feet shorter. It can attempt an Acrobatics check as normal to treat the fall as an additional 10 feet shorter for the purpose of determining the damage you take from the fall. If its attack misses, it lands prone in a random square adjacent to the target and automatically take the full amount of falling damage.

Flurry of Maneuvers (Ex) As part of a full-attack action, an M-66 anti-personnel robot can make two additional combat maneuvers, regardless of whether the maneuvers normally replace a melee attack or requires a standard action. All combat maneuver checks suffer a –2 penalty when using a flurry of maneuvers.

Flying Kick (Ex) Once per round during a flurry of maneuvers, before making an attack, an M-66 anti-personnel robot can move 20 feet without spending an additional action. At the end of this movement, it must make an attack against an adjacent foe. This movement may be between attacks. This movement provokes an attack of opportunity as normal. The attack made after the movement must be a kick.

Improved Maneuvers (Ex) An M-66 anti-personnel robot does not provoke attacks of opportunity when making combat maneuvers.

Improvised Trap Expert (Ex) When crafting a particularly simple trap that would normally only cost 250 GP x the trap's CR, such as a pit trap, falling block trap, or deadfall trap, an M-66 anti-personnel robot instead spends no material cost. Crafting such a trap takes only 10 minutes.

Maneuver Defense (Ex) Whenever another creature attempts a combat maneuver against an M-66 anti-personnel robot, that creature provokes an attack of opportunity from the M-66 anti-personnel robot.

Resilient (Ex) An M-66 anti-personnel robot receives a +5 racial bonus on all saving throws and a +40 racial bonus to hit points. These bonuses are already included in its statistics above.

Vulnerable to Critical Hits Whenever a robot takes extra damage from a critical hit, it must make a DC 15 Fortitude save to avoid being stunned for 1 round. If it makes a successful saving throw, it is staggered for 1 round. The robot remains immune to other sources of the stunned condition.

Self-Destruct (Ex) An M-66 anti-personnel robot possesses a self-destruct mechanism, which it can use as a free action on its turn. Using this ability destroys the M-66 anti-personnel robot. It can use this ability even when helpless.

When an M-66 anti-personnel robot self-destructs, it explodes and releases a burst of several thousand darts from within its armored body that deal 10d6 piercing damage to all targets in a 50-foot radius. A DC 18 Reflex save halves the damage.

One round later, a toxic gas is released from the anti-personnel robot's destroyed husk, affecting all creatures in a 20-foot radius. The gas remains in the area for 6 rounds before dissipating. This is an inhaled poison effect.

Poison (Ex) Self-Destruct—inhaled; save Fort DC 18; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d3 Str and Con damage and staggered; cure 2 saves.

Unarmed Strike (Ex) An M-66 anti-personnel robot gains Improved Unarmed Strike as a free bonus feat, and deals 1d10 damage with its unarmed strikes, as a level 8 monk.

X-Laser (Ex) One of an M-66 anti-personnel robot's eyes is an integrated x-laser with a maximum range of 1000 feet. As a standard action, it can make an attack with this x-laser. This ranged attack does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

An x-laser is a super-charged laser with devastating effects. It fires a highly focused, incredibly powerful beam of high-frequency light. An x-laser's beam bores holes through any creature or object it damages. The beam is stopped if it cannot penetrate the hardness, fire resistance, or fire immunity of a barrier or creature. When making an attack with an x-laser, make a single attack roll and compare that result to the touch ACs of all creatures in a line extending out to the weapon's maximum range. This weapon damages all targets with a touch AC equal to or lower than the attack roll. The hole created by an x-laser is less than an inch in diameter and serves primarily as evidence of the weapon's discharge rather than significantly altering an object's structural integrity beyond the damage the laser blast deals as part of the attack.

Bonus animation:

An alraune made of burning obsidian.

Artwork is in-game artwork from Mary Skelter Nightmares, copyright Compile Heart.

Some time back, as part of my Unlocked Monsters series, I released the Unlocked Monsters version of an alraune. It functions in combat as two creatures, but they share a single mind and are technically just two body parts of the same creature. This stone alraune is a modified version of that; a hardier type of flower. A black lotus, if you will. Stone alraunes typically live in underground caves, in man-made ruins, or in rocky deserts, where they can hide within their closed flower buds and disguise themselves as rock formations or statues. While still plants, they have more in common with lithops than flowers, and the petals of their flower-like shells are as hard as stone.

Unusually for plant creatures, stone alraunes have fire-based attacks and a resistance to fire. They use their flames to territorially destroy other plant and fungus life in the area they live, taking all of the nutrients for themselves. Like normal alraunes, their primary diet consists of humanoids whom they eat by burying, and the humanoid-looking portion of the plant monster is designed to lure in prey.

Stone Alraune - CR 15

An attractive woman engulfed in fire sits in the depths of this enormous, sweet-smelling stone flower seemingly made of obsidian.

XP 51,200 N Medium plant Init +8 Senses low-light vision, shared senses; Perception +11 Aura confounding fragrance (60 ft., DC 24)

DEFENSE

AC 22, touch 14, flat-footed 18 (+4 Dex, +8 natural) hp 142 (19d8+57) Fort +13, Ref +11, Will +11 Immune plant traits, petrification Resist fire 20 Weaknesses cold

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee unarmed +13 (1d3-1) or Melee touch +13 (5d6 fire plus poison and sicken (see text)) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Spell-Like Abilities (CL 13th; concentration +20)     At will—charm monster (DC 19), detect thoughts (DC 17), pox pustules (DC 17), suggestion (DC 18)     3/day—burst of nettles (DC 18), glitterdust (DC 17), hold monster (DC 20), cure critical wounds (touch +15, DC 19)     1/day—commune with nature, mind fog, wall of thorns

STATISTICS

Str 8, Dex 18, Con 14, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 21 Base Atk +14; CMB +13; CMD 27 Feats Ally Shield, Cleave, Cleaving Finish, Combat Casting, Deceitful, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Uncanny Concentration Skills Bluff +16, Disguise +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Perception +11, Ride +15, Sense Motive +10 Languages Aklo, Common, Elven, Sylvan SQ confounding fragrance

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Confounding Fragrance (Su) A supernaturally sweet perfume that calms the nerves and blunts aggression constantly surrounds a stone alraune to a radius of 60 feet. Any creature in this area of effect must make a DC 24 Will save at the start of its turn to avoid falling under the effects of calm emotions, and also becoming confused; this confusion ignores the immunity to confusion normally granted by calm emotions. Creatures that could be attracted to the stone alraune's current apparent gender take a -2 penalty on this Will save, while all other creatures gain a +2 bonus on the save. This is an inhaled mind-affecting poison effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Hide Within Flower (Ex) As a move action, a stone alraune can hide within its stone alraune flower, gaining total cover as the flower closes around it, or emerge from the flower to leave cover. If the stone alraune flower is unconscious or dead, it becomes limp and can no longer be used as cover.

Linked Flower (Ex) Each stone alraune has a stone alraune flower that is considered part of its body, but is treated as a separate creature in combat.  A stone alraune and its stone alraune flower can never be further than 60 feet apart.  If one dies and the other lives, resurrection spells have no effect; a Regenerate spell must be cast to restore whichever was destroyed.

Poisonous Burning Touch (Ex) As a standard action, a stone alraune can deliver a touch attack that inflicts 5d6 fire damage, affects the target with black lotus poison, and sickens the target for 1d4 days unless it succeeds on a DC 21 Fortitude save. The sickening effect is a poison effect and the save DC for it is Constitution-based.

Poison (Ex) Touch Attack—contact; save Fort DC 20; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d6 Con damage; cure 2 saves.

Shared Senses (Ex) A stone alraune and its stone alraune flower share a single mind.  They possess all of the same feats and skill ranks, and all of their senses are shared.  If both the stone alraune and its stone alraune flower are capable of making a mental skill check, they both use the higher result.

Stone Alraune Flower

N Large plant Init +5 Senses shared senses, tremorsense 180 ft.; Perception +10

DEFENSE

AC 30, touch 10, flat-footed 29 (+1 Dex, +20 natural, -1 size) hp 218 (19d8+133) Fort +18, Ref +7, Will +11 Defensive Abilities hardness 8 Immune plant traits, petrification Resist fire 20

OFFENSE

Speed 25 ft. Melee 3 vines +19 (1d10+6 plus 2d6 fire plus grab plus bleed) Space 10 ft.; Reach 10 ft. (see buried vines) Special Attacks bleed (2d6), constrict (1d10+9 plus 2d6 fire), feed

STATISTICS

Str 22, Dex 13, Con 24, Int 10, Wis 17, Cha 21 Base Atk +14; CMB +21 (+25 grapple); CMD 32 (can’t be tripped) Feats Ally Shield, Cleave, Cleaving Finish, Combat Casting, Deceitful, Improved Initiative, Iron Will, Mounted Combat, Power Attack, Uncanny Concentration Skills Bluff +16, Disguise +9, Knowledge (nature) +9, Perception +11, Ride +12, Sense Motive +10 Languages Aklo, Common, Elven, Sylvan (cannot speak)

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Buried Vines (Ex) As long as a stone alraune flower and its target are on natural ground or solid stone, and there's no underground barrier or gap in the stone (such as mortar between stones in a castle floor) in between the stone alraune flower and its target that interrupts the natural ground, the stone alraune flower's reach with its vine attacks increases to 20 ft., as it extends its vines underground and reaches them out of the ground near the target to attack.

Counter Burst of Nettles (Su) When it is hit by an attack or takes damage, a living stone alraune flower releases a burst of poisonous nettles, which strike targets in a 10-ft. burst around the stone alraune flower. Targets in this area take 3d6 damage, plus 1d6 acid damage on the next round, and can attempt a DC 18 Reflex save to halve the damage. If the stone alraune flower is conscious, it can choose not to release a burst of poisonous nettles. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Creatures hit by this ability must succeed on a DC 20 Fortitude save or be affected by black lotus poison. A creature that failed its Reflex save takes a -2 penalty on this Fortitude save. Because this is a contact poison, creatures that takes no damage due to Evasion are not subject to the poison, but creatures that negate the damage with an ability such as DR are subject to the poison.

Poison (Ex) Burst of Nettles—contact; save Fort DC 20; frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect 1d6 Con damage; cure 2 saves.

Grab Through the Earth (Ex) If a stone alraune flower grapples a target with its vines, as long as the stone alraune flower and its target are on natural ground or stone, there's no underground barrier or gap in the stone (such as mortar between stones in a castle floor) between the stone alraune flower and its target that interrupts the natural ground, the stone alraune flower can choose to do so by extending its vines underground and reaching them out of the ground near the target to attack.  If the stone alraune flower grapples a target in this way, the target is not moved adjacent to the alraune flower as usual, and instead remains in its original space.

A target that is grabbed in this way can cut itself free by dealing 21 points of damage to the vine that is grappling it, which has the same AC as the alraune flower.  Damage dealt to the vine in this way also harms the alraune flower.

Feed (Ex) A stone alraune flower's roots can feed on a helpless or willing target. At the end of an hour of feeding, the victim takes 1d6 points of both Constitution and Intelligence drain, and the alraune heals 3d6 points of damage.

Linked Flower (Ex) Each stone alraune has a stone alraune flower that is considered part of its body, but is treated as a separate creature in combat.  A stone alraune and its stone alraune flower can never be further than 60 feet apart.  If one dies and the other lives, resurrection spells have no effect; a Regenerate spell must be cast to restore whichever was destroyed.

You're so disgusting. You should try to be more like me. You'll fail, obviously, but still, at least put in some effort.

Artwork by D_elite on Twitter.

Narcis Devil - CR 15

Standing six and a half feet tall and wearing only a cape and jewelry is an attractive horned man with gray skin and glowing red eyes. He looks at you smugly.

XP 51,200 LE Medium outsider (devil, evil, extraplanar, lawful) Init +12 Senses darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +23

DEFENSE

AC 28, touch 16, flat-footed 22 (+6 Dex, +12 natural) hp 199 (19d10+95) Fort +13, Ref +21, Will +17 DR 10/good Immune fire, poison Resist acid 10, cold 10 SR 26

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (perfect) Melee 2 claws +27 (2d8+7 plus 1d8 bleed plus scar (DC ) Space 5 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Special Attacks gaze, touch of irony, waxen image, withering Spell-Like Abilities (CL 15th; concentration +26) Constant—detect scrying, seek thoughts (DC 24, thoughts concerning self only, see text), true seeing At will—charm monster (DC 25), enter image, mirage arcana (DC 26), mirror image, persistent image (DC 26), resist energy, scorching ray (3 rays, ranged touch +27), smug narcissism (DC 26) 3/day—dimensional anchor (DC 25), phantasmal killer (DC 25), scrying 1/day—dominate monster (DC 30), geas/quest, greater false vision, summon (level 5, 2 bone devils 75%) 1/month—simulacrum (self only, cannot have more than one)

STATISTICS

Str 24, Dex 26, Con 20, Int 16, Wis 19, Cha 32 Base Atk +19; CMB +26; CMD 44 Feats Blind-Fight, Combat Reflexes, Deceitful, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Improved Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Lightning Reflexes, Persuasive, Weapon Focus (claw) Skills Acrobatics +21, Bluff +43, Diplomacy +43, Disguise +23, Fly +12, Intimidate +43, Knowledge (local, nobility, planes) +12, Perception +26, Perform (oratory) +15, Sense Motive +12; Racial Modifiers +8 Bluff, +8 Diplomacy, +8 Intimidate Languages Abyssal, Celestial, Common, Draconic, Elven, Infernal; tongues, telepathy 100 ft.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Gaze (Su) Creatures within 30 feet that gaze upon a narcis devil must succeed on a DC 30 Will save or be unwilling to physically harm him. Affected creatures may not willingly inflict hit point damage, physical ability score damage/drain, or diseases to the narcis devil, nor any other harmful effect that would leave a physical mark. They may inflict other harmful effects, and are not compelled to prevent others from attacking the narcis devil. This gaze is a mind-affecting charm effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. The narcis devil can enable or disable this gaze effect as a free action.

Seek Thoughts (Sp) A narcis devil is permanently affected by seek thoughts, as a constant spell-like ability, but can only use this to notice creatures thinking about the narcis devil.

Scar (Su) A creature damaged by a narcis devil's claw attacks must succeed on a DC 26 Fortitude save or be scarred, as the witch hex. The save DC is Strength-based.

These scars do not interfere with the target's senses or prevent it from using abilities, but may affect social interactions. The narcis devil can use its Waxen Image and Withering hexes on the scarred target at a range of up to 1 mile, and is considered to have a body part from the target for the purpose of scrying and similar divination spells. The scars persist through disguises and shapechanging.

The narcis devil can withdraw this hex from a target as a move action at any range. The number of supernatural scars the narcis devil can maintain at once is equal to its Intelligence bonus (typically 3); once the narcis devil reaches this limit, it must remove the scar from a current victim in order to mark another. Effects that remove curses can remove the scar.

Touch of Irony (Su) A narcis devil can make a touch attack (typically with +26 to hit) to immediately transform a living creature into a walrus for 10 minutes. A successful DC 30 Fortitude save negates the transformation. This effect otherwise functions as beast shape II. A creature who successfully saves is not subject to the same narcis devil's touch of irony for 24 hours. If the target transforms into a walrus, it must also succeed on a DC 30 Will save to retain its personality. On a failed save, the target is affected as if it failed its secondary Will save against a baleful polymorph spell. The effect can be negated by break enchantment (DC 26 — using the narcis devil's caster level), but cannot be dispelled. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Waxen Image (Su) A narcis devil can spend a full-round action to create a crude and unnerving wax duplicate of a creature it can see within 30 feet, or one affected by its Scar ability. Once the image is complete, the subject must make a Will save (DC 22). If the subject fails, the narcis devil gains a small measure of control over the creature. Whenever the narcis devil exercises this control, the creature receives a new Will save to end the effect. This effect occurs on the narcis devil's turn and does not impede the creature's actions on its own turn. The narcis devil can use the waxen image a number of times equal to its Intelligence modifier (typically 3) before it melts.

As a standard action, the narcis devil can cause the subject to do any one of the following things: move up to the creature's speed in any direction, attack itself once with any weapon in hand (this attack automatically hits), lay down on the ground, or drop anything held. Alternatively, the narcis devil can spend one of its uses to simply torture the image, causing the creature to be both sickened and staggered on its turn. As soon as the creature has succeeded on a saving throw against this effect, it is immune to it for 24 hours. This is an enchantment (compulsion) effect. The save DC is Intelligence-based.

Withering (Su) As a standard action, the narcis devil can cause a creature within 30 feet, or one affected by its Scar hex, to age rapidly, empowering itself in the process.

The target ages to the next age category (adult to middle-aged, and so on). The narcis devil gains 1d10+19 temporary hit points and a +2 enhancement bonus to either Strength, Dexterity, or Constitution for a number of hours equal to its Intelligence modifier (typically 3 hours). The aging effect lasts for 19 hours.

Weird coincidences are common when a Zandrel is near.

Artwork by Kez Laczin on ArtStation, official art from Numenera, copyright Monte Cook Games.

The zandrel is a monster originally designed for the Numenera tabletop RPG, a scifi game with some of the most insane and outrageous monster concepts of any game out there. Unfortunately, the actual combat mechanics for said monsters are very lacking in rules, mostly just leaving it up to the game master to decide how to mechanically represent what the bestiary's lore says they can do.

Monte Cook Games did release a D&D 5e book full of 5e stat blocks for their Numenera monsters, but the zandrel in that book is still basically just all fluff and no mechanics. It gets advantage on all d20 rolls and is otherwise just a CR4 bird. With this Pathfinder version, I hoped to give it some real gameplay at the table, both before and during combat.

A zandrel is an aerial predator that has amazing vision and hunts by either day or night. It can glide on updrafts in the air for days or possibly months at a time before it must descend to rest or hunt again. It can usually rise so high that it is essentially invisible to creatures on the ground, though its eyesight is so keen that it can clearly see anything that moves on the surface even when it's miles high. RAW, seeing a creature flying half a mile above you in plain sight is a DC 264 Perception check, so when I say "essentially invisible" that's actually quite an understatement.

A zandrel often hunts by choosing a target, following it for hours or days while flying high in the air overhead, and waiting for the ultra-likely random encounters or some crazy stuff from its Improbable Events table to wear the target down before swooping down to attack in the middle of one such event. It has no special knowledge of what events will occur.

If you're not using random encounters, and are instead hand-choosing or fudging when and where your encounters take place, I would suggest having a wild animal or a group of bandits or a PC's long-lost sister or something else that feels "random" attack the PCs just before the zandrel does, to get the same feel. Alternately you can just wait until the Improbable Events table hits them with something nasty.

The way this creature interacts with random encounters will be interesting to certain kinds of GMs and not others. I wanted to include that, but I also tried to make the rest of its abilities interesting enough that it still felt like a cool monster even if you're not using that aspect of it. It's still much more GM-fiat-reliant than a typical Pathfinder monster - Pathfinder is a game where abilities normally have very specific and well-defined effects, and this is a monster that can cause almost anything to happen. It's a good monster to use if you enjoy improv in your games.

GMs should feel free to customize the Improbable Events table to their liking. If you want absolute chaos instead of just highly unlikely coincidences, you could have certain results on this table create a wild magic surge or even cause the GM to roll on the d10000 net libram of random magical effects.

This is a commissioned monster.

Zandrel - CR 4

Descending from overhead is a large, vaguely birdlike creature with a wicked beak, red and black feathers that end with barbs and spikes, and legs that feature cruel talons. Tiny glowing white motes of light drift in the air around it.

XP 1,200 N Large aberration Init +3 Senses blindsight 30 ft., long-distance vision, see in darkness; Perception +17 Aura improbability field (1 mile)

DEFENSE

AC 14, touch 12, flat-footed 11 (+3 Dex, +2 natural, –1 size) hp 39 (6d8+12) Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +8 Immune poison

OFFENSE

Speed 20 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee 2 talons +7 (1d6+3 plus grab) Space 10 ft.; Reach 5 ft. Special Attacks constrict (talon, 1d6+3 plus poison), flash of misfortune, swoop down

STATISTICS

Str 17, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 16, Cha 11 Base Atk +4; CMB +7 (+11 grapple); CMD 20 Feats Endurance, Flyby Attack, Weapon Focus (talon) Skills Fly +11, Perception +17, Stealth +3, Survival +15; Racial Modifiers +8 Perception, +8 Survival SQ improbability field, improbable events

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Flash of Misfortune (Su) As an immediate action, when a creature other than itself within 100 ft. makes a d20 roll, a zandrel can force it to roll twice. The zandrel chooses which die result is used.

Improbability Field (Ex) Within 1 mile of a zandrel, whenever a creature rolls on a d100 table or similar large table of random results, including random encounter tables, the GM should roll 5 times and choose the most interesting result. This does not apply to the zandrel's own Improbable Events table.

Additionally, within 1 mile of a zandrel, whenever a creature rolls to determine if it runs into a random encounter, the GM should roll 5 times. A random encounter occurs if any die roll results in a random encounter.

Improbable Events (Ex) Once per hour, the zandrel can roll on the following table, causing one of the following effects to happen after a 1d10 x 5 minute delay:

1-20: Abnormal weather effect appropriate for the region, as described in the Core Rulebook 21-30: Storm weather effect appropriate for the region, as described in the Core Rulebook 31-40: Powerful storm weather effect appropriate for the region, as described in the Core Rulebook 41-50: A creature of the zandrel's choice within 1 mile encounters one of the previous 10 enemy groups fought by that creature, chosen at random (reroll any option that is impossible). 51-53: Lightning strikes a random creature or object, or a creature or object of the GM's choice, within 1 mile, dealing 5d6 electricity damage (Reflex save DC 13 halves). 54-56: Lightning strikes creature or object of the zandrel's choice within 1 mile, dealing 5d6 electricity damage (Reflex save DC 13 halves). 57-58: A meteorite falls from space and strikes a space of the GM's choice within 1 mile, creating a 20 ft. radius crater and dealing 5d6 bludgeoning damage to creatures and objects in that area, ignoring hardness less than 20. A DC 13 Reflex save halves the damage, and all creatures within 1 mile of the zandrel that can see the sky receive a DC 20 Perception check to notice the meteorite falling 1 round before it lands, and those that see it can make a DC 20 Knowledge (geography) check to determine where it will land. The meteorite contains 200 GP worth of adamantine. 59-60: A creature of the zandrel's choice within 1 mile, and everything else within the stampede's area, is trampled by a 20-ft.-wide stampede of wild animals moving in a straight line, and takes 4d6+9 bludgeoning damage (Reflex save DC 13 halves), as described in the summon stampede spell. 61-65: A creature of the zandrel's choice within 1 mile steps on a concealed bear trap that was left behind. 66-99: Nothing 100: A random creature, or a creature of the GM's choice, within 1 mile, locates a treasure trove containing 1d10 x 500 gp worth of mundane treasure.

Long-Distance Vision (Ex) When making sight-based Perception checks and other sight-based skill checks that take the same penalty for distance, instead of the normal -1 penalty per 10 feet, a zandrel only takes a -1 penalty per 1000 feet.

Poison (Ex) Constrict—injury; save Fortitude DC 15; frequency instantaneous; effect overwhelmed for 1 round; cure N/A. This poison is applied each round that the constrict damage is dealt, and does not continue afterwards.

An overwhelmed creature is staggered and cannot concentrate. If an overwhelmed creature attacks or casts a spell, it falls prone and becomes helpless until the beginning of its next turn after doing so. Effects that would remove or prevent the paralyzed or nauseated conditions also remove or prevent the overwhelmed condition.

Nobody can deal with Dark Souls dogs.

Artwork is an in-game screenshot of Dark Souls 3, copyright From Software.

Widely regarded as the most dangerous enemies in the series by expert players, Dark Souls dogs do not play by the same rules as normal dogs. I left out their ability to teleport to you if you get too far from them, though, since that's probably a bug.

Like the source material, these enemies are lightning-fast glass cannons that don't give you a chance to hit back.

Starved Hound - CR 3

The mangy, festering dog corpse looks at you with its hollow eye sockets, and growls. It's moving noticeably faster than a normal dog.

XP 800 NE Small undead Init +4 Senses darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent; Perception +2

DEFENSE

AC 17, touch 16, flat-footed 12 (+4 Dex, +1 dodge, +1 natural, +1 size) hp 13 (3d8) Fort +1, Ref +5, Will +5

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft. Melee bite +6 (1d4+4 plus staggering bite) Special Attacks committed charge, unexpected strike

STATISTICS

Str 16, Dex 18, Con —, Int —, Wis 14, Cha 10 Base Atk +2; CMB +4 (+6 with staggering bite); CMD 18 (22 vs. trip) Feats Dodge, Following Step, Lunge, Mobility, Run, Step Up, Step Up and Strike Skills Acrobatics +4 (+12 jumping), Perception +2, Survival +2 (+6 scent tracking); Racial Modifiers +4 Acrobatics when jumping, +4 Survival when tracking by scent

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bonus Feats (Ex) A starved hound gets Dodge, Mobility, Lunge, Run, Step Up, Following Step, and Step Up and Strike as bonus feats. It does not need to meet the prerequisites for these feats.

Committed Charge (Ex) When a starved hound performs a charge, it can choose to fully commit to the attack, gaining an additional +4 bonus on the attack at the end of the charge, and taking an additional -2 penalty to AC (in addition to the normal +2 bonus and -2 penalty from charging).

If the starved hound misses the attack at the end of its committed charge, it continues moving past its target if possible, ending its movement on the opposite side of its target from where it attacked. The starved hound's total movement for the round can't exceed double its speed.

The starved hound's movement does not provoke an attack of opportunity from the opponent that it attacks with a committed charge.

Staggering Bite (Ex) Whenever a starved hound hits with its melee bite attack, it can make a free special combat maneuver check against its target. The starved hound gains a +2 bonus on this combat maneuver (typically for a total CMB of +6). If this combat maneuver check is successful, the target is staggered for one round. This combat maneuver does not provoke an attack of opportunity.

Now let's see how the mako juice is reacting!

Artwork by The Archworks on Tumblr.

This monster is based on Helletic Hojo, a late-game boss in Final Fantasy VII. The term "helletic" is either a mistranslation or pun of the word "heretic," depending on how generous you want to be to the translator who wrote the sentence "This guy are sick." When you fought Hojo in Final Fantasy 7, he started out as a human scientist, transformed into Helletic Hojo (the form in the image above) after taking a certain amount of damage, and transformed again into Lifeform Hojo (which looked like this) when close to dying. That's a lot of forms for a Pathfinder boss, so this creature is mainly inspired by the second form.

Similar to a hydra, I wanted this creature's limbs to be targetable separately from its main body, but I wanted that to be more than just a defensive property of the monster. I also wanted its limbs to flail about semi-mindlessly on their own, as if uncontrolled by the monster's body and mind. The end result not only makes this creature feel like a weird piecemeal chimera, but also helps mitigate the effects of many types of save-or-suck spells that the players might use (without fully negating them).

Helletic Lifeform - CR 20

The scientist's muscles start bulging, and then he screams in pain, as his body starts mutating rapidly.  He begins convulsing, and one of his arms splays open into a mass of writhing tentacles, while the other transforms into a giant claw.  You can hear his bones cracking as his skull elongates and splits apart, and his legs seem to melt into a fleshy mass.  His midsection tears open, and huge teeth line the edges of a gaping hole in where his stomach used to be, in the middle of which is a pod of some kind.  Through all of this, he seems to have grown a shell on his lower back reminiscent of a hermit crab.

XP 307,200 CE Huge aberration Init +2 Senses blindsight 100 ft.; Perception +43 Aura madness (60 ft., DC 33)

DEFENSE

AC 34, touch 6, flat-footed 34 (-2 Dex, +28 natural, –2 size) hp 528 (32d8+384) Fort +23, Ref +10, Will +22 DR 15/magic SR 31

OFFENSE

Speed 40 ft. Melee tentacles +32 (3d6+10 plus grab, see desynchronized attacks), claw +32 (4d6+10/19-20 plus 3d6 bleed, see desynchronized attacks) Space 15 ft.; Reach 15 ft. Special Attacks enemy hammering claw, poison acid breath (50-ft. cone, 18d10 acid, Reflex DC 34 half, 1d4 round cooldown)

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 20th; concentration +29)     Constant—caustic blood (DC 23)     At will—clairaudience/clairvoyance, dimension door, intellect fortress ii, mass inflict pain (DC 24), mass suggestion (DC 24), poison (touch +34, DC 21), telekinetic storm (DC 27)     3/day—quickened siphon magic (touch +34)

STATISTICS

Str 30, Dex 7, Con 32, Int 30, Wis 19, Cha 25 Base Atk +24; CMB +36 (+40 grapple); CMD 44 (38 vs. sunder; can’t be tripped) Feats Alertness, Cleave, Combat Casting, Great Cleave, Great Fortitude, Improved Critical (claw), Improved Initiative, Improved Lightning Reflexes, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Spell Focus (enchantment, evocation, necromancy), Toughness, Uncanny Concentration, Quicken Spell-Like Ability (siphon magic) Skills Bluff +27, Climb +35, Craft (alchemy, traps) +42, Heal +36, Intimidate +18, Knowledge (arcana) +45, Knowledge (engineering, dungeoneering, planes) +42, Knowledge (geography, history, local, nature, nobility, religion) +18, Perception +43, Sense Motive +30, Spellcraft +45, Use Magic Device +39 Languages Aboleth, Abyssal, Aklo, Celestial, Common, Dwarven, Elven, Elder Thing, Gnomish, Infernal, Undercommon SQ desynchronized attacks, ultra-staggered movements

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Aura of Madness (Su) Any creature within 60 feet of a conscious helletic lifeform, other than itself, must succeed at a DC 33 Will saving throw each round or become confused for as long as it remains in the aura. A creature confused by this aura receives a new save each round on the helletic lifeform's turn to overcome this effect. A creature that successfully saves is immune to this aura on the helletic lifeform's next turn. A helletic lifeform can suppress or activate this aura as a free action. A creature that remains confused by this aura for 5 rounds becomes permanently insane, as per the insanity spell. This is a mind-affecting compulsion insanity effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Desynchronized Attacks (Ex) A helletic lifeform's tentacle limb and claw limb roll their own initiative with the same initiative bonus as the helletic lifeform. They act on their own initiative, and can act even if the helletic lifeform cannot act. They can only take a standard action on their turns, and cannot move. They cannot make their own attacks of opportunity; the helletic lifeform's main body makes attacks of opportunity with its claw and tentacles attacks. The claw limb performs claw attacks or uses the Enemy Hammering Claw ability, and the tentacle limb performs tentacle attacks. They are not creatures and can take no other actions. Both limbs use the helletic lifeform's statistics, and can use the Cleave and Great Cleave feats when making melee attacks.

A helletic lifeform's tentacle limb and claw limb can be targeted independently with sunder combat maneuvers. Any attack that is not an attempt to sunder a limb affects only the main body, including area attacks. To sunder a limb, an opponent must make a sunder attempt targeting a limb. A limb is considered a separate weapon with hit points equal to twice the helletic lifeform's hit dice (typically 64 hp per limb). To successfully sunder a limb, an opponent must inflict enough damage to reduce the limb's hit points to 0 or less. Sundering a limb deals damage to the helletic lifeform's body equal to the limb's total hp (typically 64). A helletic lifeform can't attack with a sundered limb, but takes no other penalties.

A helletic lifeform takes a -6 penalty to its CMD vs. attempts to sunder its tentacle limb and claw limb. This penalty is already included in its statistics above.

When a helletic lifeform sleeps to recover hit points, it can choose for any number of the hit points it regains from resting to be distributed to its limbs instead of its main body. If this brings a limb above 0 hp, it is no longer sundered.

Enemy Hammering Claw (Sp) A helletic lifeform can, as a standard action, telekinetically toss a creature within long range as described in the enemy hammer spell (typically with +27 to hit). It does not need to first spend a standard action to cast the spell. The creature being flung receives a Fortitude save (typically DC 23) to negate the effect.

Poison Acid Breath (Ex) 50-ft. cone, 12d10 acid damage plus poison, DC 34 Reflex halves.  After using this breath, a helletic lifeform cannot use it again for the next 1d4 rounds. The poison effect is an inhaled poison.

Poison (Ex) save Fort (DC 34); frequency 1/round for 6 rounds; effect staggered and 1 con damage; cure 1 save

Ultra-Staggered Movements A helletic lifeform is permanently staggered. Additionally, it cannot take a standard action two rounds in a row; if it took a standard action on the previous round, it can only take a move action on the current round.

Its claw limb and tentacles limb are not treated as staggered, and are not restricted in this way (see Desynchronized Attacks).

Atop a throne of barf, wearing a crown of more barf.

Artwork by AlleycatGraphics on Etsy.

This is a higher level version of the vomit gremlin I posted earlier this week. It's inspired by the CR 5 Gremlin Batspawn by Northwinter Press, and shares some of that creature's abilities, so it would make sense to use them together in the same adventure, possibly applying the advanced creature template to the gremlin batspawn.

A meaningful difference between gremlin batspawns and vomit gremlins is that a vomit gremlin is no smarter than a dog. It yips and howls, but doesn't understand language. It just sprays vomit everywhere. Their king isn't any smarter; it's just got more impressive vomit. That's how they choose a king, actually.

Other types of goblins seem to view vomit goblins the way humans view gorillas. Despite their low intelligence and lack of coordination, though, vomit gremlins are no less prone to ruining everything they see. I think you can probably imagine precisely how they tend to do that.

King of the Vomit Gremlins - CR 13

This green-skinned gremlin-like creature is the size of a hunchbacked human, and flies on bat-like wings. Dried vomit is plastered on all sides of its vile mouth.

XP 25,600

CE Medium fey Init +11 Senses blindsense 40 ft., low-light vision; Perception +15

DEFENSE

AC 26, touch 18, flat-footed 18 (+7 Dex, +1 dodge, +8 natural) hp 157 (15d6+105); fast healing 10 Fort +11, Ref +15, Will +13 DR 5/cold iron Resist acid 10 Weaknesses unclean healing

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft., fly 50 ft. (good) Melee bite +14 (1d6+3) Special Attacks putrid vomit (ranged touch +14), sneak attack 6d6

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 14th; concentration +19)      1/day—stinking cloud (DC 19)     3/day—mass caustic adhesive spittle (DC 20, see text), quickened stricken heart (touch +14, DC 17)

STATISTICS

Str 16, Dex 25, Con 22, Int 2, Wis 18, Cha 20 Base Atk +7; CMB +10; CMD 28 Feats Dodge, Great Fortitude, Improved Initiative, Mobility, Spell Focus (conjuration), Toughness, Quicken Spell-like Ability (stricken heart), Weapon Finesse Skills Escape Artist +25, Fly +15, Perception +15, Sleight of Hand +11, Stealth +15 Languages None SQ gremlin lice

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Mass Caustic Adhesive Spittle (Sp) As a standard action, a king of the vomit gremlins can grant itself the ability to spit caustic adhesive spittle for 1 round per caster level (typically 14 rounds).

Once during this spell’s duration, a king of the vomit gremlins can spit a caustic and viscous liquid as a standard action at up to 1 target per 3 caster levels (typically 4 targets).  All targets must be within medium range (typically 240 ft.) of the king of the vomit gremlins, and within 30 feet of one another. This spell does not function underwater.

Each target is entangled, and must succeed on a Reflex save (typically DC 20) or take 3d6 acid damage and be glued to the floor. A flying creature is not stuck to the floor, but if it fails its Reflex save and uses wings to fly, it is unable to fly and falls to the ground. A target that successfully saves takes no damage, is not glued to the floor, and is not prevented from flying, but is still entangled. The adhesive persists for 2d4 rounds after the king of the vomit gremlins spits it.

A creature that is glued to the floor (or unable to fly) can break free by making a Strength check (typically DC 20) or by dealing 15 points of damage to the goo with a slashing weapon. A creature trying to scrape goo off itself, or another creature assisting, does not need to make an attack roll; hitting the goo is automatic, after which the creature that hit makes a damage roll to see how much of the goo was scraped off. Once it breaks free, a creature can move again, but is still entangled.

Treat this as a 4th level conjuration (creation) spell. Spell resistance does not apply.

Gremlin Lice (Ex) All kings of the vomit gremlins are infested with gremlin lice. Whenever a warm-blooded creature comes in physical contact with a king of the vomit gremlins, there is a 25% chance it contracts gremlin lice. 1d4 rounds later, the creature begins to itch. The itch proves so distracting that for the duration of the infestation, the individual takes a –1 penalty on all concentration and initiative checks. Fortunately, these annoying parasites cannot live long on non-gremlins, and only survive for 24 hours. Submersion in water or exposure to freezing temperatures also kills a gremlin lice infestation.

Putrid Vomit (Ex) Every 1d4 rounds, a king of the vomit gremlins can spew a 100-foot line of vomit as a standard action. Treat this as a ranged touch attack with no range increment (typically +14 to hit). Anyone struck takes 6d8 acid damage and must succeed at a DC 23 Fortitude save or be overwhelmed for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

An overwhelmed creature is staggered and cannot concentrate. If an overwhelmed creature attacks or casts a spell, it falls prone and becomes helpless until the beginning of its next turn after doing so. Effects that would remove or prevent the paralyzed or nauseated conditions also remove or prevent the overwhelmed condition.

It's just barfing everywhere!

Artwork by AlleycatGraphics on Etsy.

Vomit gremlins... hmm, well, how much do I really need to describe this creature? Doesn't the name just say it all? It's inspired by the CR 5 Gremlin Batspawn by Northwinter Press, and shares some of that creature's abilities.

A meaningful difference between the two creatures is that a vomit gremlin is no smarter than a dog. It yips and howls, but doesn't understand language. It just sprays vomit everywhere.

Vomit Gremlin - CR 7

This green-skinned gremlin-like creature flies on small bat-like wings. Dried vomit is plastered on all sides of its vile mouth.

XP 3,200

CE Medium fey Init +4 Senses blindsense 40 ft., low-light vision; Perception +9

DEFENSE

AC 19, touch 15, flat-footed 15 (+4 Dex, +4 natural, +1 size) hp 45 (7d6+21); fast healing 3 Fort +7, Ref +9, Will +7 DR 5/cold iron Resist acid 10 Weaknesses unclean healing

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft., fly 40 ft. (good) Melee bite +10 (1d4+1) Special Attacks putrid vomit (ranged touch +10), sneak attack 2d6

Spell-Like Abilities (CL 7th; concentration +10)      1/day—cloud of seasickness (DC 16)     3/day—caustic adhesive spittle (DC 16), stricken heart (touch +10, DC 17)

STATISTICS

Str 13, Dex 19, Con 17, Int 2, Wis 15, Cha 16 Base Atk +5; CMB +5; CMD 19 Feats Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Spell Focus (conjuration), Weapon Finesse Skills Escape Artist +14, Fly +14, Perception +9, Sleight of Hand +9, Stealth +12 Languages None SQ gremlin lice

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Caustic Adhesive Spittle (Sp) As a standard action, a vomit gremlin can grant itself the ability to spit caustic adhesive spittle for 1 round per caster level (typically 7 rounds).

Once during this spell’s duration, a vomit gremlin can spit a caustic and viscous liquid at a target within close range (typically 40 ft.) as a standard action. This spell does not function underwater.

The target is entangled, and must succeed on a Reflex save (typically DC 20) or take 3d6 acid damage and be glued to the floor. A flying creature is not stuck to the floor, but if it fails its Reflex save and uses wings to fly, it is unable to fly and falls to the ground. A target that successfully saves takes no damage, is not glued to the floor, and is not prevented from flying, but is still entangled. The adhesive persists for 2d4 rounds after the vomit gremlin spits it.

A creature that is glued to the floor (or unable to fly) can break free by making a Strength check (typically DC 20) or by dealing 15 points of damage to the goo with a slashing weapon. A creature trying to scrape goo off itself, or another creature assisting, does not need to make an attack roll; hitting the goo is automatic, after which the creature that hit makes a damage roll to see how much of the goo was scraped off. Once it breaks free, a creature can move again, but is still entangled.

Treat this as a 2nd level conjuration (creation) spell. Spell resistance does not apply.

Gremlin Lice (Ex) All vomit gremlins are infested with gremlin lice. Whenever a warm-blooded creature comes in physical contact with a vomit gremlin, there is a 25% chance it contracts gremlin lice. 1d4 rounds later, the creature begins to itch. The itch proves so distracting that for the duration of the infestation, the individual takes a –1 penalty on all concentration and initiative checks. Fortunately, these annoying parasites cannot live long on non-gremlins, and only survive for 24 hours. Submersion in water or exposure to freezing temperatures also kills a gremlin lice infestation.

Putrid Vomit (Ex) Every 1d4 rounds, a vomit gremlin can spew a 40-foot line of vomit as a standard action. Treat this as a ranged touch attack with no range increment (typically +10 to hit). Anyone struck takes 3d8 acid damage and must succeed at a DC 16 Fortitude save or be overwhelmed for 1d4 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based.

An overwhelmed creature is staggered and cannot concentrate. If an overwhelmed creature attacks or casts a spell, it falls prone and becomes helpless until the beginning of its next turn after doing so. Effects that would remove or prevent the paralyzed or nauseated conditions also remove or prevent the overwhelmed condition.

An android with a big gun from the hit game Nekopunk 20W0.

Artwork by TuwaLG on DeviantArt.

Logically, this should probably be statted out as a Starfinder enemy instead, but instead of doing that, I, uh, didn't. I made this and then I teleported my players into a cyberspace plane that was inspired by Tron, and where every single creature and many objects had glowing cybernetic cat ears and a tail. Because that's a reasonable thing to do in a Pathfinder campaign. And I called it Nekopunk 20W0.

This is an android, but rather than using class levels, it's statted out as a unique creature. Some of the abilities were inspired by Mega Man, and more specifically by this Starfinder adaptation of Mega Man by Luis Loza at Monstrous Physique. You're free to remove the catgirl aspect and just make this a more normal-looking android, but I'll be disappointed.

Neko Buster - CR 11

The artifical humanoid is wearing a glossy skin-tight body suit that glows with circuit-like patterns. One of its arms is a large cannon.

XP 12,800 N Medium humanoid (android) (see Constructed) Init +5 Senses Darkvision 60 ft.; Perception +10

DEFENSE

AC 25, touch 17, flat-footed 20 (+8 armor, +2 deflection, +5 Dex) hp 142 (15d8+75) Fort +13, Ref +15, Will +9; +4 vs. mind-affecting, paralysis, poison, stun Defensive Abilities constructed Resist acid 10, cold 10, electricity 10, fire 10, force 10, sonic 10 Immune disease, emotion, exhaustion, fatigue, fear, morale bonuses, sleep

OFFENSE

Speed 30 ft. Melee unarmed +14/+9/+4 (1d3+3) Ranged +3 buster cannon +20/+15/+10 (4d6+3/19-20 force damage plus daze on crit, see text) (80 ft. range increment) Special Attacks charged shot, crash bomber, energy image (2/day)

STATISTICS

Str 16, Dex 20, Con 20, Int 14, Wis 12, Cha 8 Base Atk +11; CMB +14; CMD 31 Feats Deadly Aim, Great Fortitude, Improved Vital Strike, Iron Will, Point Blank Shot, Precise Shot, Vital Strike, Weapon Focus (buster cannon) Skills +20 Acrobatics, +11 Climb, +18 Perception, +9 Knowledge (dungeoneering, engineering, local), -3 Sense Motive, +8 Stealth; Racial Bonuses +2 Perception, -4 Sense Motive Languages Auran, Common, Ignan SQ nanite surge Gear buster armor, buster cannon

EQUIPMENT ABILITIES

Buster Armor A neko buster's technological armor is treated as light armor which grants it +8 AC and has no maximum Dexterity bonus and no armor check penalty. Additionally, it grants the neko buster a +2 deflection bonus to AC, a +1 resistance bonus to saving throws, and grants 10 points of acid, cold, electricity, fire, force, and sonic resistance. The armor has hardness 2 and 10 HP. It only functions for the neko buster, and cannot be removed from the neko buster without destroying it.

Buster Cannon A neko buster has an energy cannon mounted on its arm which is capable of making ranged attacks, and is treated as a manufactured weapon with a +3 enhancement bonus. Attacks with a buster cannon have an 80 ft. range increment, crit on a 19-20, and deal 4d6 force damage. A target hit by a critical hit with a buster cannon is automatically dazed for 1 round with no save. A buster cannon has unlimited ammunition.

A neko buster's buster cannon only functions for the neko buster and cannot be removed from its arm without destroying the cannon. It has 16 hardness and 40 hit points. The arm that the buster cannon is mounted on has the hand surgically attached to the cannon, causing the hand to be unable to be used for anything else except firing the cannon.

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Charged Shot (Ex) When performing an improved vital strike, a neko buster can spend a move action charging up the attack and aiming carefully in order to gain a +2 bonus to its attack and damage rolls.

Constructed (Ex) For the purposes of effects targeting creatures by type (such as a ranger’s favored enemy and bane weapons), neko busters are treated as androids, and thus count both as humanoids and as constructs.

Crash Bomber (Ex) As a standard action, a neko buster can fire a small bomb as a ranged touch attack (typically with a +15 bonus) at a target within 30 feet. If the attack hits, the bomb attaches itself to the target; otherwise, it attaches itself to the ground below the target's feet. The bomb detonates at the start of the neko buster's next turn, dealing 12d6 points of fire damage to the target the bomb was attached to and all adjacent creatures and objects. Adjacent creatures can halve this damage with a successful DC 22 Reflex save. The neko buster that fired the bomb gains a +8 circumstance bonus on this saving throw. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

A creature that has a bomb attached to it or is within reach of a bomb can remove the bomb and attach it to a creature or object within its reach as a standard action. Removing or attaching a bomb to an unwilling creature requires a touch attack. If the touch attack to attach a bomb fails, the creature holding the bomb can choose to drop it instead.

Energy Image (Ex) Twice per day as a move action, a neko buster can cause 3 holographic images of itself to appear, copying its movements and functioning as the mirror image spell.

As a standard action, a neko buster can cause any number of these energy images to transform into electrical energy and fly towards an enemy within 60 ft., making ranged touch attacks against that target (typically with a +15 bonus). These energy images may be fired at the same or different targets, but all energy images must be aimed at targets within 30 feet of each other and fired simultaneously. A successful attack with an energy image deals 6d6 electricity damage, and the target must succeed on a DC 22 Fortitude save or be dazed for 1 round. The save DC is Dexterity-based.

You never had control, that's the illusion! I was overwhelmed by the power of this place. But I made a mistake, too, I didn't have enough respect for that power and it's out now.

Artwork by Inaros131 on DeviantArt.

If you want some way more interesting dinosaurs than the ones Paizo publishes, I strongly recommend the Cinematic Dinosaurs Bundle by Necromancers of the Northwest. It's extremely similar to my own Unlocked Monsters series, in that existing creatures are redesigned to be more dynamic and engaging in battle, with special abilities that players can actually react to and plan around, instead of just relying on high stats.

But let's add to that list with some fictional dinosaurs. The Ultimasaurus is an unreleased toy from Jurassic Park: Chaos Effect, meant to combine the most powerful elements of various dinosaurs. As such, it has all the special abilities of its component species rolled into one monster. (A couple of these abilities, most notably crushing trample and impale, are taken directly from the Cinematic Dinosaurs Bundle, so that if you use the monsters together, players can recognize some of the abilities from their previous battles with other dinosaurs.) For the hopefully short duration of its artificial life, the ultimasaurus is destined to be the true, undisputed king of dinosaurs, and the ultimate representation of mankind's hubris.

Unlike the creatures in the Cinematic Dinosaurs Bundle, which treat dinosaurs more like traps than monsters, I chose to define this creature's CR in the normal way that GMs expect for a monster. If you want the challenge to simply be surviving running from the monster instead of having to fight it, then its CR is probably 1 lower. But also, if this CR 15 monster is the enemy you're picking for that scene, instead of a much lower level T-Rex, then that probably means your players are pretty high level, think of themselves as superheroes, and are unlikely to run from much of anything. So I figure most GMs that use this thing will be expecting their party to fight it.

If some of this creature's special abilities feel like they don't quite synergize with each other, that's very intentional. For example, having both powerful charge and crushing trample is kind of redundant, and its bite and gore attacks are mutually exclusive, but the creature didn't evolve this way naturally. I wanted it to feel like scientists who knew more about genetics than about the natural study of wildlife just stuck everything they could in there haphazardly. It's a mutant chimera with a bunch of different creatures' body parts glued together.

If your PCs are flying more than 120 feet up, keep the improvised thrown weapon rules in mind, and have this thing toss a car at one of them.

This is a commissioned monster.

Ultimasaurus - CR 15

Both a marvel and abomination of genetic engineering, this dinosaur's appearance gives it the head and body of a tyrannosaurus, the frill and horns of a triceratops, the arms and legs of a velociraptor, the back armor of an ankylosaurus, and the spine-tipped tail of a stegosaurus.

XP 51,200 N Gargantuan animal Init +5 (including predatory cunning) Senses low-light vision, scent; Perception +33

DEFENSE

AC 27, touch 9, flat-footed 24 (+3 Dex, +18 natural, –4 size) hp 253 (22d8+154) Fort +20, Ref +16, Will +11 Defensive Abilities hardened back scales, horned crown

OFFENSE

Speed 50 ft. Melee bite +23 (4d6+22/19–20 plus grab), 2 claws +23 (2d6+11), tail +18 (2d8+5 plus overwhelming tail) OR Melee 2 claws +23 (2d6+11), gore +23 (2d10+11/19-20 plus impale), tail +18 (2d8+5 plus overwhelming tail) Space 20 ft.; Reach 20 ft. Special Attacks battle roar, crunch, crushing trample, powerful charge (gore, 4d10+22), swallow whole (2d8+11, AC 19, hp 25), trample (3d6+16, DC 32)

STATISTICS

Str 32, Dex 17, Con 24, Int 2, Wis 14, Cha 14 Base Atk +16; CMB +31 (+35 grapple); CMD 44 Feats Bleeding Critical, Cleave, Critical Focus, Diehard, Endurance, Improved Critical (bite, gore), Intimidating Prowess, Iron Will, Run, Skill Focus (Perception) Skills Intimidate +32, Perception +33; Racial Modifiers +8 Intimidate, +8 Perception SQ bite or gore, powerful bite, predatory cunning

SPECIAL ABILITIES

Bite or Gore (Ex) An ultimasaurus cannot attack with both its bite and gore attacks in the same full-attack action; it must choose one or the other. It can, however, make a bite attack while an enemy is impaled on its horn, or make a gore attack while an enemy is grappled in its mouth.

Battle Roar (Ex) Once per minute, while not grappling a creature in its mouth, the ultimasaurus can let out a primal battle roar as a swift action. When it does, its allies within 120 feet who can hear it gain a +1 morale bonus on attack rolls and a +4 morale bonus on saving throws against fear, and it makes a free Intimidate check to demoralize enemies within 120 feet who can hear it. Both the morale bonuses and the demoralize effects last for 1d3+3 rounds (in place of the normal duration of demoralize).

Flying creatures within 120 feet when the ultimasaurus uses this ability must succeed on a DC 32 Fortitude save or fall as the sonic vibrations make the air unstable. The save DC is Strength-based.

If an ally under the effect of this battle roar fails a saving throw against a fear effect, it can choose to end the battle roar's effect on itself to reroll the failed save. The ally must take the result of the reroll, even if it's lower.

Crunch (Ex) Instead of swallowing its prey whole, the ultimasaurus can use its massive bite strength and numerous knife-like teeth to crush and tear its prey apart in its mouth. If the ultimasaurus successfully maintains a grapple with a creature in its mouth, and chooses to deal damage to the creature (instead of pinning it or swallowing it whole), it deals damage as though it had confirmed a critical hit.

Crushing Trample (Ex) The ultimasaurus's trample is particularly vicious, dealing 3d6 points of damage plus 1.5 x its Strength bonus, instead of the normal amount. Additionally, any creature that chooses to take an attack of opportunity instead of making a Reflex save, as well as any creature that fails its Reflex save by 5 or more, has a 50% chance of having some part of his body crushed by the ultimasaurus's feet, causing crippling damage. If this occurs, the crushed creature suffers 3d6 points of additional damage, and suffers one of the following effects:

A -4 penalty to his Strength score, and the loss of the use of one of his arms.

A -4 penalty to his Dexterity score, and his base land speed is halved.

A -4 penalty to his Constitution score, and the target treats his Strength score as being 10 lower than it actually is for the purposes of determining his carrying capacity.

The exact effect is determined by the GM, or rolled randomly. These penalties last for as long as the damage inflicted by the trample attack (including the extra 3d6 damage from being crushed) remains, and for 1 hour thereafter.

Hardened Back Scales (Ex) The ultimasaurus's back armor grants it a +4 competence bonus to AC against creatures above it, creatures climbing on it, and creatures that are at least one size category larger than it.

Once per round, when targeted by a ranged missile attack (but not a ray attack) from such a creature, it can negate the attack so that it deals no damage to the ultimasaurus, and send it back at the attacker as a ranged attack. The ranged attack deals the normal amount of damage for its type plus the ultimasaurus's Strength modifier. The ultimasaurus must be aware of the attack and not flat-footed to use this ability. This ranged attack provokes attacks of opportunity as normal.

Horned Crown (Ex) The ultimasaurus's horns, and the large, bony crest along the back of its head, are ideal for protecting it against attacks by larger creatures. Any creature at least one size category larger than the ultimasaurus that attacks it with a natural attack and misses by less than 5 provokes an attack of opportunity from the ultimasaurus with its gore attack. These benefits do not apply if the ultimasaurus is flat-footed.

Impale (Ex) The ultimasaurus's horns are particularly dangerous weapons when turned against creatures smaller than itself. Whenever the ultimasaurus scores a critical hit with its gore attack against a creature that is at least two size categories smaller than itself, that creature must succeed on a Reflex save (DC 32) or be impaled by one of the ultimasaurus's horns. A creature that is impaled on the ultimasaurus's horns enters the ultimasaurus's square, and is treated as being grappled by the ultimasaurus, although the ultimasaurus is not treated as grappled.

Each round, on the impaled creature's turn, it suffers 2d8 points of damage from the massive horn embedded in its body. The impaled creature moves with the ultimasaurus, and this does not count against its actions for the round. The impaled creature can remove itself from the ultimasuarus's horns by succeeding on a successful Escape Artist check or combat maneuver check (DC equal to the ultimasaurus's CMD). Once freed, the gaping wound left by the massive horn leaves the impaled creature with 1d8 points of bleed damage.

While a creature is impaled on its horns, an ultimasaurus can shake its head as a standard action, inflicting 2d8+18 points of damage, or it can throw the creature off as a full-round action, inflicting 2d8+18 points of damage and then flinging the creature 2d6 x 10 feet through the air. The flung creature suffers fall damage as normal.

Overwhelming Tail (Ex) A creature struck by the ultimasaurus's tail attack must make a Fortitude save or be overwhelmed for 1 round. The save DC is 32, or 27 if the attack is made as part of a full-attack action. If the strike is a critical hit and the target fails its save, it is instead overwhelmed for 1d4 rounds and drops anything it is carrying. The save DC is Strength-based.

An overwhelmed creature is staggered and cannot concentrate. If an overwhelmed creature attacks or casts a spell, it falls prone and becomes helpless until the beginning of its next turn after doing so. Effects that would remove or prevent the paralyzed or nauseated conditions also remove or prevent the overwhelmed condition.

Predatory Cunning (Ex) The ultimasaurus is exceptionally intelligent for an animal, showing signs of primitive language and problem-solving abilities. This creature can communicate with tyrannosauruses, velociraptors, triceratops, stegosauruses, and ankylosauruses as though using their own language, though only velociraptors are capable communicating back, and the ultimasaurus is generally incapable of expressing complex thoughts or ideas. The ultimasaurus can, however, direct these other dinosaurs towards prey and coordinate ambushes.