Monsters

Tarrasque - Zombie

This scaly biped seems about as tall as a five-story building. It carries itself like a bird of prey, leaning well forward and using its powerful, lashing tail for balance. It has two horns on its head and a thick, reflective carapace on its back.

The legendary tarrasque - fortunately, only one exists - is possibly the most dreaded monster of all (except for the largest dragons). None can predict where and when the creature will strike next.

The location of the tarrasque’s lair is a mystery, and the beast remains dormant much of the time. Its torporous slumber usually lasts 6d4 months before it leaves its lair for a brief hunting foray lasting 1d3 days. Once every decade or so, the monster is particularly active, staying awake for 1d2 weeks. Thereafter, it slumbers for at least 4d6 years unless disturbed.

When active, the tarrasque is a perfect engine of destruction. It rampages across the land eating everything in its path, including plants, animals, humanoids, and even towns. Nothing is safe, and entire communities prefer to flee the ravening tarrasque rather than face its power.

Many legends surround the tarrasque’s origins and purpose. Some hold it to be an abomination unleashed by ancient, forgotten gods to punish all of nature, while others tell of a conspiracy between evil wizards or merciless elemental powers. These tales are mere speculation, however, and the creature’s true nature will probably remain a mystery. The tarrasque isn’t in the habit of explaining itself, and it rarely leaves any living witnesses in its wake.

The tarrasque is 70 feet long and 50 feet tall, and it weighs about 130 tons.

The tarrasque cannot speak.

COMBAT

The tarrasque attacks with its claws, teeth, horns, and tail.

The tarrasque’s natural weapons are treated as epic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Augmented Critical (Ex): The tarrasque’s bite threatens a critical hit on a natural attack roll of 18–20, dealing triple damage on a successful critical hit.

Frightful Presence (Su): The tarrasque can inspire terror by charging or attacking. Affected creatures must succeed on a DC 36 Will save or become shaken, remaining in that condition as long as they remain with 60 feet of the tarrasque. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, the tarrasque must hit a Huge or smaller opponent with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow the foe the following round.

Rush (Ex): Once per minute, the normally slow-moving tarrasque can move at a speed of 150 feet.

Swallow Whole (Ex): The tarrasque can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of Huge or smaller size by making a successful grapple check. Once inside, the opponent takes 2d8+8 points of crushing damage plus 2d8+6 points of acid damage per round from the tarrasque’s digestive juices. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by dealing 50 points of damage to the tarrasque’s digestive tract (AC 25). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.

The tarrasque’s gullet can hold 2 Huge, 8 Large, 32 Medium, 128 Small, or 512 Tiny or smaller creatures.

Carapace (Ex): The tarrasque’s armorlike carapace is exceptionally tough and highly reflective, deflecting all rays, lines, cones, and even magic missile spells. There is a 30% chance of reflecting any such effect back at the caster; otherwise, it is merely negated. Check for reflection before rolling to overcome the creature’s spell resistance.

Regeneration (Ex): No form of attack deals lethal damage to the tarrasque. The tarrasque regenerates even if it fails a saving throw against a disintegrate spell or a death effect. If the tarrasque fails its save against a spell or effect that would kill it instantly (such as those mentioned above), the spell or effect instead deals nonlethal damage equal to the creature’s full normal hit points +10 (or 868 hp). The tarrasque is immune to effects that produce incurable or bleeding wounds, such as mummy rot, a sword with the wounding special ability, or a clay golem’s cursed wound ability. The tarrasque can be slain only by raising its nonlethal damage total to its full normal hit points +10 (or 868 hit points) and using a wish or miracle spell to keep it dead.

If the tarrasque loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 1d6 minutes (the detached piece dies and decays normally). The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.

Skills: The tarrasque has a +8 racial bonus on Listen and Spot checks.

This creature looks like a mound of vegetation supported by vines and branches. The mass has a huge opening filled with "teeth" of sharp branches and long thorns.

The tendriculos is a plant that may have been mutated by foul magic, or may have originated on another plane of existence - or possibly both of these theories are true.

The tendriculos is best known for its ability to grow and regrow its vegetable body extremely rapidly. Whole new leaves and vines appear in just a few minutes. A tendriculos accomplishes this by consuming vast quantities of meat.

A tendriculos can rear up to a height of 15 feet. It weighs about 3,500 pounds.

Animals and other plant creatures are unnerved by the presence of a tendriculos; they avoid it and any place it has been within the last 24 hours.

COMBAT

Prowling deep forests or waiting in vegetated areas (looking like nothing more than a small hillock), a tendriculos attacks savagely, showing no fear. It attempts to swallow as much flesh as it can, as quickly as it can.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a tendriculos must hit a creature at least one size smaller than itself with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can try to swallow the opponent in the following round.

A tendriculos can also use its improved grab ability on a tendril attack. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold, picks up the opponent, and transfers it to the mouth as a free action, automatically dealing bite damage.

Swallow Whole/Paralysis (Ex): A tendriculos can try to swallow a grabbed opponent by making a successful grapple check. Once inside the plant’s mass, the opponent must succeed on a DC 20 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 3d6 rounds by the tendriculos’s digestive juices, taking 2d6 points of acid damage per round. A new save is required each round inside the plant. The save DC is Constitution-based.

A swallowed creature that avoids paralysis can climb out of the mass with a successful grapple check. This returns it to the plant’s maw, where another successful grapple check is needed to get free. A swallowed creature can also cut its way out by using a light slashing or piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the tendriculos’s interior (AC 14). Once the creature exits, the plant’s regenerative capacity closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.

A Huge tendriculos’s interior can hold 2 Large, 8 Medium, 32 Small, 128 Tiny, or 512 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

Regeneration (Ex): Bludgeoning weapons and acid deal normal damage to a tendriculos.

A tendriculos that loses part of its body mass can regrow it in 1d6 minutes. Holding the severed portion against the mass enables it to reattach instantly.

This creature has a sinuous body that is segmented like an earthworm’s. The whole body glows with orange-white heat.

The thoqqua is a wormlike monster with a body hot enough to melt solid rock. It has a choleric mood and a foul temper. Although native to the Elemental Plane of Fire, it is also known to inhabit the Elemental Plane of Earth.

A thoqqua spends most of its time burrowing through rock looking for minerals to eat. It burrowing leaves behind a usable tunnel, albeit a small one with blistering hot walls.

A thoqqua is about 1 foot in diameter and 4 to 5 feet long. It weighs about 200 pounds.

COMBAT

When a thoqqua is disturbed, its first instinct is to attack. Its favored tactic is to spring directly at a foe, either by bursting out of the rock or by coiling up its body and launching itself like a spring. (Treat this as a charge, even though the thoqqua does not need to move 10 feet before attacking.)

Heat (Ex): Merely touching or being touched by a thoqqua automatically deals 2d6 fire damage.

Burn (Ex): When a thoqqua hits with its slam attack, the opponent must succeed on a DC 12 Reflex save or catch fire. The save DC is Constitution-based. The flame burns for 1d4 rounds if not extinguished sooner. A burning creature can use a full-round action to put out the flame.

This being looks like a giant-sized human of great physical strength and beauty. It carries an enormous warhammer. It seems very lively and selfassured. Titans are statuesque beings of heroic proportions. They have agile minds and powerful bodies. Many come from the plane of Arborea.

Titans favor heavy armor crafted in ancient designs. They wear rare and valuable jewelry and generally make themselves seem beautiful and overpowering.

Titans are wild and chaotic, masters of their own fates. They are closer to the wellsprings of life than mere mortals and so revel in existence. They are prone to more pronounced emotions than humans and can experience deitylike fits of rage. Many titans are powerful servants of good, but in ages past the race of titans rebelled against the deities themselves, and a number of titans turned to evil. An evil titan is an indomitable tyrant who often masters entire kingdoms of mortals.

A titan is about 25 feet tall and weighs about 14,000 pounds.

Titans speak Abyssal, Common, Celestial, Draconic, and Giant.

COMBAT

Titans can wreak havoc with their massive warhammers, which are sometimes referred to as "mauls of the titans." In addition to their considerable battle prowess, titans possess great speed and considerable magical power.

A titan’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as chaotic-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Change Shape (Su): A titan can assume the form of any Small or Medium humanoid. The titan retains its oversized weapon special attack regardless of form.

Oversized Weapon (Ex): A titan wields a great, two-handed warhammer (big enough for Gargantuan creatures) without penalty.

Spell-Like Abilities: Caster level 20th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

At will - chain lightning (DC 23), charm monster (DC 21), cure critical wounds (DC 21), fire storm (DC 24), greater dispel magic, hold monster (DC 22), invisibility, invisibility purge, levitate, persistent image (DC 22)

3/day - etherealness, word of chaos (DC 22), summon nature’s ally IX;

1/day - gate, maze, meteor swarm (DC 26).?

In addition, titans of good or neutral alignment can use the following additional spell-like abilities. Caster level 20th. The save DCs are Charisma-based:

At will - daylight, holy smite (DC 21), remove curse (DC 21);

1/day - greater restoration.

Titans of evil alignment can use the following additional spell-like abilities. Caster level 20th. The save DCs are Charisma-based:

At will - bestow curse (DC 21), deeper darkness, unholy blight (DC 21);

1/day - crushing hand (DC 26).

TACTICS ROUND-BY-ROUND

Titans enjoy combat and usually close with their foes. If that proves ineffective, they swiftly back off and pelt the foe with spell-like abilities and magical effects. Because of a titan’s Quicken Spell-Like Ability feat, it can use chain lightning as a free action, and frequently attacks in melee while lashing out with this ability at the same time.

Prior to combat: Invisibility purge or invisibility.

Round 1: Charge and attempt to sunder the weapon of the most dangerous foe. Hurl chain lightning at opponents standing away from the fight.

Round 2: Full attack against the disarmed opponent, and hurl chain lightning at other opponents.

Round 3: Back away from first opponent and use maze or meteor swarm on any spellcaster causing trouble.

Round 4: Sunder the weapon of the next most effective combatant, or use greater dispel magic on all nearby opponents.

Round 5: Full attack against any nearby opponent, or use fire storm.

Use another quickened chain lightning if foes seem really dangerous.

A titan usually reserves its gate and etherealness abilities to escape a fight that is not going well.

This creature resembles a snapping turtle. It has a spindle-shaped shell made up of hexagonal plates and a narrow head with jaws that open horizontally rather than vertically. A seemingly random array of crablike claws and paddles sprout from openings at both ends of the creature’s shell.

Tojanidas are omnivores from the Elemental Plane of Water. Though they seem clumsy and innocuous at first glance, they are nimble swimmers and capable fighters.

A tojanida’s shell is blue-green in color. Inside the shell is a fleshy body from which extend seven stalks. Four of these stalks have paddles for locomotion, two are tipped with claws, and one bears the creature’s head. Eight vents in the shell, four at each end, allow the tojanida to thrust its stalks out in whatever configuration it finds convenient.

A juvenile tojanida is up to 25 years old. It has a shell about 3 feet long, and it weighs about 60 pounds. An adult is aged 26 to 80. Its shell is about 6 feet long, and it weighs about 220 pounds. An elder can reach 150 years of age. It has a shell about 9 feet long, and it weighs about 500 pounds.

Tojanidas speak Aquan and can be loquacious, but usually only on the subject of food.

COMBAT

Tojanidas are fairly even-tempered but can be ferocious if molested. They are very jealous of their food supply and become testy if they suspect a newcomer is trying to beat them to a meal.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a tojanida must hit with a bite or claw attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. Underwater, a tojanida can tow a grabbed victim of its own size or smaller at its swim speed (but it cannot run). A favorite tactic is to grab a single opponent, then withdraw, hauling the opponent away from its allies.

Ink Cloud (Ex): A tojanida can emit a spherical cloud of jet-black ink with a radius of 30 feet once per minute as a free action. The effect is otherwise similar to fog cloud cast by an individual of a level equal to the tojanida’s Hit Dice. Out of water, the ink emerges in a stream up to 30 feet long, which a tojanida can squirt into an opponent’s eyes. The affected creature must succeed on a Reflex save or be blinded for 1 round. The save DC is 13 against a juvenile, 15 against an adult, and 21 against an elder. The save DCs are Constitution based.

All-Around Vision (Ex): The multiple apertures in a tojanida’s shell allow it to look in any direction, bestowing a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks. Opponents gain no flanking bonuses when attacking a tojanida.

Skills: A tojanida has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

This tall being looks much like an animated tree. Its skin is thick and brown, with a barklike texture. Its arms are gnarled like branches, and its legs look like the split trunk of a tree. Above the eyes and along the head are dozens of smaller branches from which hang great leaves.

Treants combine features of trees and humans. They are peaceful by nature but deadly when angered. They hate evil and the unrestrained use of fire, considering themselves guardians of the trees.

A treant’s leaves are deep green in the spring and summer. In the fall and winter the leaves change to yellow, orange, or red, but they rarely fall out. A treant’s legs fit together when closed to look like the trunk of a tree, and a motionless treant is nearly indistinguishable from a tree.

A treant is about 30 feet tall, with a “trunk” about 2 feet in diameter. It weighs about 4,500 pounds.

Treants speak their own language, plus Common and Sylvan. Most also can manage a smattering of just about all other humanoid tongues—at least enough to say “Get away from my trees!”

COMBAT

Treants prefer to watch potential foes carefully before attacking. They often charge suddenly from cover to trample the despoilers of forests. If sorely pressed, they animate trees as reinforcements.

Animate Trees (Sp): A treant can animate trees within 180 feet at will, controlling up to two trees at a time. It takes 1 full round for a normal tree to uproot itself. Thereafter it moves at a speed of 10 feet and fights as a treant in all respects. Animated trees lose their ability to move if the treant that animated them is incapacitated or moves out of range. The ability is otherwise similar to liveoak (caster level 12th). Animated trees have the same vulnerability to fire that a treant has.

Double Damage against Objects (Ex): A treant or animated tree that makes a full attack against an object or structure deals double damage.

Trample (Ex): Reflex DC 22 half. The save DC is Strength-based.

Skills: *Treants have a +16 racial bonus on Hide checks made in forested areas.

This being is roughly human-sized. Its lower half ends in two finned legs, while its torso, head, and arms are human.

Tritons are thought to originate from the Elemental Plane of Water, but have migrated to the Material Plane for some unknown purpose. They are sea dwellers, preferring warm waters but able to tolerate colder depths.

A triton has silvery skin that fades into silver-blue scales on the lower half of its body. A triton’s hair is deep blue or blue-green.

Tritons form communities, either in great undersea castles built of rock, coral, and other natural materials or in finely sculpted caverns. A hunter-gatherer people, tritons take from the sea’s vast bounty only what they need to survive. They are naturally suspicious of surface dwellers and prefer not to deal with them if possible. However, tritons deal harshly with beings who intentionally invade their communities, capturing the intruders and setting them adrift without any possessions at least 10 miles from any shoreline, left "to the mercy of the sea."

Tritons are the natural enemy of the cruel and evil sahuagin. The two cannot coexist peacefully: Wars between them are prolonged, bloody affairs that sometimes interfere with shipping and maritime trade.

A triton is about the same size and weight as a human.

Tritons speak Common and Aquan.

COMBAT

The reclusive tritons prefer to avoid combat, but they fiercely defend their homes. They attack with either melee or ranged weapons as the circumstances warrant. When encountered outside their lair, they are 90% likely to be mounted on friendly sea creatures such as porpoises.

Spell-Like Abilities:? Caster level 7th. Tritons often choose water elementals for their companions.

1/day - summon nature’s ally IV.

Skills: A triton has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

This reptilian creature looks somewhat humanoid. It is a little shorter than a human. It has spindly but muscular arms and walks erect on its squat legs, trailing a long, slender tail. Its head is lizardlike and crowned with a frill that extends from the forehead to the base of the neck. Its eyes are black and beady.

Troglodytes are revolting lizard creatures as evil as the foulest of demons. They are very warlike and savor the taste of their enemies - especially humanoids.

Troglodytes are not especially intelligent, but their ferocity and natural cunning more than compensate for this deficiency. They often launch bloody raids against humanoid settlements or ambush caravans in warm climates. They guard their lairs aggressively, lashing out at anyone who comes too near.

A troglodyte stands about 5 feet tall and weighs about 150 pounds.

Troglodytes speak Draconic.

COMBAT

Half of a group of troglodytes are armed only with claws and teeth; the rest carry one or two javelins and clubs. They normally conceal themselves, launch a volley of javelins, then close to attack. If the battle goes against them, they retreat and attempt to hide.

Stench (Ex): When a troglodyte is angry or frightened, it secretes an oily, musk-like chemical that nearly every form of animal life finds offensive. All living creatures (except troglodytes) within 30 feet of a troglodyte must succeed on a DC 13 Fortitude save or be sickened for 10 rounds. The save DC is Constitution-based. Creatures that successfully save cannot be affected by the same troglodyte’s stench for 24 hours. A delay poison or neutralize poison spell removes the effect from the sickened creature. Creatures with immunity to poison are unaffected, and creatures resistant to poison receive their normal bonus on their saving throws.

Skills: The skin of a troglodyte changes color somewhat, allowing it to blend in with its surroundings like a chameleon and providing a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks. *In rocky or underground settings, this bonus improves to +8.

TROGLODYTE SOCIETY

Troglodyte tribes are ruled by the largest and fiercest among them, with subchieftains who have distinguished themselves in battle. Trogs like to lair near humanoid settlements to prey on inhabitants and their livestock. They raid on moonless nights when their darkvision and coloration are most effective.

Troglodytes prize steel above all else. Though individuals usually have no wealth, a lair may contain valuable items casually discarded, pushed into corners, or mixed in with refuse. The lair is usually a large cave with smaller caves for the hatchlings and eggs. A lair has hatchlings equal to one-fifth the number of adults and eggs equal to one-tenth.

Troglodytes revere Laogzed, a vile deity who resembles a cross between a toad and a lizard.

TROGLODYTE CHARACTERS

Troglodyte characters possess the following racial traits.

• –2 Dexterity, +4 Constitution, –2 Intelligence.

• Medium size.

• A troglodyte’s base land speed is 30 feet.

• Darkvision out to 90 feet.

• Racial Hit Dice: A troglodyte begins with two levels of humanoid, which provide 2d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +1, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +3, Ref +0, and Will +0.

• Racial Skills: A troglodyte’s humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 5 x (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Hide and Listen. Troglodytes have a +4 racial bonus on Hide checks (+8 in rocky or underground surroundings).

• Racial Feats: A troglodyte’s humanoid levels give it one feat. A troglodyte receives Multiattack as a bonus feat.

• +6 natural armor bonus.

• Natural Weapons: 2 claws (1d4) and bite (1d4).

• Special Attacks (see above): Stench.

• Automatic Languages: Draconic. Bonus Languages: Common, Giant, Goblin, Orc.

• Favored Class: Cleric.

• Level adjustment +2.

This big, bipedal creature is about one and a half times as tall as a human but very thin. It has long and ungainly arms and legs The legs end in great three-toed feet, the arms in wide, powerful hands with sharpened claws. The hide is rubbery, and its hair is thick and ropy, and seems to writhe with its own energy.

Trolls are horrid carnivores found in all climes, from arctic wastelands to tropical jungles. Most creatures avoid these beasts, who know no fear and attack unceasingly when hungry.

Trolls have ravenous appetites, devouring everything from grubs to bears and humanoids. They often lair near settlements and hunt the inhabitants until they devour every last one.

Trolls walk upright but hunched forward with sagging shoulders. Their gait is uneven, and when they run, their arms dangle and drag along the ground. For all this seeming awkwardness, trolls are very agile.

A typical adult troll stands 9 feet tall and weighs 500 pounds. Females are slightly larger than males. A troll’s rubbery hide is moss green, mottled green and gray, or putrid gray. The hair is usually greenish black or iron gray.

Trolls speak Giant.

COMBAT

Trolls have no fear of death: They launch themselves into combat without hesitation, flailing wildly at the closest opponent. Even when confronted with fire, they try to get around the flames and attack.

Rend (Ex): If a troll hits with both claw attacks, it latches onto the opponent’s body and tears the flesh. This attack automatically deals an additional 2d6+9 points of damage.

Regeneration (Ex): Fire and acid deal normal damage to a troll. If a troll loses a limb or body part, the lost portion regrows in 3d6 minutes. The creature can reattach the severed member instantly by holding it to the stump.

SCRAG

These cousins of the troll have the aquatic subtype. They dwell in any body of water in any climate. They have a base land speed of 20 feet and a swim speed of 40 feet and are found only in aquatic environments. They regenerate only if mostly immersed in water.

TROLL HUNTER

Some trolls, more cunning than most, are not satisfied with merely eating civilized beings but train to hunt them relentlessly. These troll hunters are fearsome rangers who focus on slaying and devouring humanoid prey.

COMBAT

A troll hunter makes full use of its scent ability to track its favored enemies and generally prefers to hunt in darkness.

1st - entangle, resist energy.

TROLLS AS CHARACTERS

Troll characters possess the following racial traits.

• +12 Strength, +4 Dexterity, +12 Constitution, –4 Intelligence (minimum 3), –2 Wisdom, –4 Charisma.

• Large size. –1 penalty to Armor Class, –1 penalty on attack rolls, –4 penalty on Hide checks, +4 bonus on grapple checks, lifting and carrying limits double those of Medium characters.

• Space/Reach: 10 feet/10 feet.

• A troll’s base land speed is 30 feet.

• Darkvision out to 60 feet and low-light vision.

• Racial Hit Dice: A troll begins with six levels of giant, which provide 6d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +4, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +5, Ref +2, and Will +2.

• Racial Skills: A troll’s giant levels give it skill points equal to 9 x (2 + Int modifier, minimum 1). Its class skills are Listen and Spot.

• Racial Feats: A troll’s giant levels give it three feats.

• ?+5 natural armor bonus.

• Natural Weapons: Claw (1d6) and bite (1d6).

• Special Attacks (see above): Rend, damage 2d6 + 1-1/2 times Str modifier.

• Special Qualities: Regeneration 5, scent.

• Automatic Languages: Giant. Bonus Languages: Common, Orc.

• Favored Class: Fighter.

• Level adjustment +5.

This hulking, powerfully built creature looks something like a cross between a great ape and a beetle. The low, rounded head is dominated by a massive pair of mandibles and rows of triangular teeth. It has two big compound eyes like a beetle’s, with two smaller eyes like an ape’s in between. Armor plates cover virtually all of its chitinous body, whose scattered feelers resemble sparse hair.

Umber hulks are massive creatures that dwell deep beneath the earth. Ripping through rock as though it were light underbrush, they rampage continuously, leaving destruction in their wake.

An umber hulk stands roughly 8 feet tall and measures nearly 5 feet across, weighing about 800 pounds. An umber hulk can burrow through solid rock at a speed of 5 feet. It does not leave a usable tunnel unless it chooses to.

Umber hulks speak Terran.

COMBAT

An umber hulk can deliver blows powerful enough to crush almost any enemy. In addition, its mandibles are strong enough to bite through armor or exoskeletons with ease.

Despite its great bulk, an umber hulk is intelligent. When brute force won’t overcome an enemy, it is more than capable of out- thinking those who assume it to be a stupid beast. Umber hulks often use their tunneling ability to create deadfalls and pits for the unwary.

Confusing Gaze (Su): Confusion as the spell, 30 feet, caster level 8th, Will DC 15 negates. The save DC is Charisma-based.

TRULY HORRID UMBER HULK

Umber hulks have been known to grow to tremendous size and strength. The truly horrid umber hulk stands more than 16 feet in height and weighs about 8,000 pounds. Phenomenally powerful, the truly hor- rid umber hulk is a loner that is feared even by its own kind. It is occasionally found in the service of evil dragons or sorcerers, guarding their lairs.

The Will save DC is 22 against the truly horrid umber hulk’s confusing gaze, due to its higher Hit Dice and Charisma score.

This powerful, equine creature has a gleaming white coat and big, lively eyes. Long, silky white hair hangs down in a mane and forelock. A single ivory-colored horn, about 2 feet long, grows from the center of the forehead. The hooves are cloven.

These fierce, noble beasts shun contact with all but sylvan creatures (dryads, pixies, and the like), showing themselves only to defend their woodland homes.

A unicorn has deep sea-blue, violet, brown, or fiery gold eyes. Males sport a white beard.

Unicorns mate for life, making their homes in open dells or glades in the forests they protect. Good and neutral travelers may pass freely through and even hunt for food in a unicorn’s forest, but evil creatures do so at great risk. Likewise, a unicorn will attack any being it discovers killing for sport in its territory or damaging the forest maliciously.

Lone unicorns occasionally allow themselves to be tamed and ridden by good human or elven maidens of pure heart. Such a unicorn, if treated kindly, is the maiden’s loyal steed and protector for life, even accompanying her beyond its forest.

A typical adult unicorn grows to 8 feet in length, stands 5 feet high at the shoulder, and weighs 1,200 pounds. Females are slightly smaller and slimmer than males.

Unicorns speak Sylvan and Common.

COMBAT

Unicorns normally attack only when defending themselves or their forests. They either charge, impaling foes with their horns like lances, or strike with their hooves. The horn is a +3 magic weapon, though its power fades if removed from the unicorn.

Magic Circle against Evil (Su): This ability continuously duplicates the effect of the spell. A unicorn cannot suppress this ability.

Spell-Like Abilities: Unicorns can use detect evil at will as a free action. Once per day a unicorn can use greater teleport to move anywhere within its home. It cannot teleport beyond the forest boundaries nor back from outside.

A unicorn can use cure light wounds three times per day and cure moderate wounds once per day (caster level 5th) by touching a wounded creature with its horn. Once per day it can use neutralize poison (DC 21, caster level 8th) with a touch of its horn. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Wild Empathy (Ex): This power works like the druid’s wild empathy class feature, except that a unicorn has a +6 racial bonus on the check.

Skills: Unicorns have a +4 racial bonus on Move Silently checks. *Unicorns have a +3 competence bonus on Survival checks within the boundaries of their forest.

CELESTIAL CHARGER

A celestial unicorn is a champion for good, the fierce enemy of evil beings that would destroy woodlands and their inhabitants. It is a dedicated follower of Ehlonna.

The celestial charger described here is an 8 HD celestial unicorn with seven levels of cleric.

COMBAT

The save DC for this celestial charger’s neutralize poison ability (DC 20) is adjusted for its greater Hit Dice and altered Charisma score.

A celestial charger’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Smite Evil (Su): Once per day a celestial charger can make a normal melee attack to deal 15 points of extra damage against an evil foe.

Cleric Spells Prepared (6/7/6/5/4; save DC 18 + spell level):

0 — detect magic, detect poison (2), light, virtue (2);

1st — bless (2), calm animals*, obscuring mist, remove fear, sanctuary, shield of faith;

2nd — aid* (2), animal messenger, lesser restoration, remove paralysis, shield other;

3rd — prayer, protection from energy, remove curse, searing light (2);

4th — air walk, divine power, holy smite*, restoration.

*Domain spell. Domains: Animal and Good.

Forever anchored to their coffins and the unholy earth of their graves, these nocturnal predators scheme constantly to strengthen themselves and fill the world with their foul progeny.

Vampires appear just as they did in life, although their features are often hardened and feral, with the predatory look of wolves. Like liches, they often embrace finery and decadence and may assume the guise of nobility. Despite their human appearance, vampires can be easily recognized, for they cast no shadows and throw no reflections in mirrors.

Vampires speak any languages they knew in life.

SAMPLE VAMPIRE

This sinister-looking warrior has pale skin, haunting red eyes, and a feral cast to his features. He wears chain armor and holds a spiked chain in his clawed hands.

This example uses a 5th-level human fighter as the base creature.

Combat

This vampire’s slam attack is treated as a magic weapon for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

The DC is 13 for the Will save against this vampire’s domination ability, and for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level caused by its energy drain.

Possessions: +1 spiked chain, masterwork chain shirt, potion of haste.

SAMPLE ELITE VAMPIRE

This example uses a half-elf 9th-level monk/4th-level shadowdancer as the base creature.

Combat

This vampire’s unarmed strikes are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

The DC is 17 for the Will save against this vampire’s domination ability, and for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level caused by its energy drain.

Flurry of Blows (Ex): Use the full attack action to make one extra attack per round with an unarmed strike or a special monk weapon at her highest base attack, making the extra attack either with her +2 keen kama or unarmed.

Ki Strike (Su): Deal damage to creatures with damage reduction using unarmed strike as though with a magic weapon.

Shadow Illusion (Sp): Create visual illusions from shadows as silent image once per day.

Summon Shadow (Sp): Summon one shadow companion, which cannot be turned, rebuked, or commanded by others. If the shadow is destroyed or dismissed, the shadowdancer must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or lose 800 XP (400 XP on a successful save). A new shadow cannot be summoned for a year and a day.

Half-Elf Traits (Ex): Immunity to sleep spells and effects; +2 racial bonus on saves against enchantment spells or effects; lowlight vision (can see twice as far as a human in low-light conditions); +1 racial bonus on Listen, Spot, and Search checks (already figured into the statistics given here); +2 racial bonus on Diplomacy and Gather Information checks.

Hide in Plain Sight (Su): Can use the Hide skill even while being observed as long as within 10 feet of a shadow.

Improved Evasion (Ex): If the vampire makes a successful Reflex saving throw against an attack that normally deals half damage on a successful save, she instead takes no damage. In addition, she takes only half damage on a failed save.

Purity of Body (Ex): Immunity to all diseases except for magical diseases such as mummy rot and lycanthropy.

Shadow Jump (Sp): Travel instantaneously between shadows as a dimension door spell, up to 20 feet per day.

Slow Fall (Ex): A monk within arm’s reach of a wall takes damage as if the fall were 40 feet shorter than it actually is.

Still Mind (Ex): +2 bonus on saves against enchantment spells and effects.

Wholeness of Body (Su): Cure up to 18 hit points of her own wounds each day.

Possessions: +2 keen kama, +1 frost sling, 10 +1 sling bullets, ring of protection +2, bracers of armor +3, periapt of Wisdom +4.

CREATING A VAMPIRE

“Vampire” is an acquired template that can be added to any humanoid or monstrous humanoid creature (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

A vampire uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead (augmented humanoid or monstrous humanoid). Do not recalculate base attack bonus, saves, or skill points. Size is unchanged.

Hit Dice: Increase all current and future Hit Dice to d12s.

Speed: Same as the base creature. If the base creature has a swim speed, the vampire retains the ability to swim and is not vulnerable to immersion in running water (see below).

Armor Class: The base creature’s natural armor bonus improves by +6.

Attack: A vampire retains all the attacks of the base creature and also gains a slam attack if it didn’t already have one. If the base creature can use weapons, the vampire retains this ability. A creature with natural weapons retains those natural weapons. A vampire fighting without weapons uses either its slam attack or its primary natural weapon (if it has any). A vampire armed with a weapon uses its slam or a weapon, as it desires.

Full Attack: A vampire fighting without weapons uses either its slam attack (see above) or its natural weapons (if it has any). If armed with a weapon, it usually uses the weapon as its primary attack along with a slam or other natural weapon as a natural secondary attack.

Damage: Vampires have slam attacks. If the base creature does not have this attack form, use the appropriate damage value from the table below according to the vampire’s size. Creatures that have other kinds of natural weapons retain their old damage values or use the appropriate value from the table below, whichever is better.

Special Attacks: A vampire retains all the special attacks of the base creature and gains those described below. Saves have a DC of 10 + 1/2 vampire’s HD + vampire’s Cha modifier unless noted otherwise.

Blood Drain (Ex): A vampire can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round the pin is maintained. On each such successful attack, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points.

Children of the Night (Su): Vampires command the lesser creatures of the world and once per day can call forth 1d6+1 rat swarms, 1d4+1 bat swarms, or a pack of 3d6 wolves as a standard action. (If the base creature is not terrestrial, this power might summon other creatures of similar power.) These creatures arrive in 2d6 rounds and serve the vampire for up to 1 hour.

Dominate (Su): A vampire can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must use a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a Will save or fall instantly under the vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell (caster level 12th). The ability has a range of 30 feet.

Create Spawn (Su): A humanoid or monstrous humanoid slain by a vampire’s energy drain rises as a vampire spawn (see the Vampire Spawn entry) 1d4 days after burial.

If the vampire instead drains the victim’s Constitution to 0 or lower, the victim returns as a spawn if it had 4 or less HD and as a vampire if it had 5 or more HD. In either case, the new vampire or spawn is under the command of the vampire that created it and remains enslaved until its master’s destruction. At any given time a vampire may have enslaved spawn totaling no more than twice its own Hit Dice; any spawn it creates that would exceed this limit are created as free-willed vampires or vampire spawn. A vampire that is enslaved may create and enslave spawn of its own, so a master vampire can control a number of lesser vampires in this fashion. A vampire may voluntarily free an enslaved spawn in order to enslave a new spawn, but once freed, a vampire or vampire spawn cannot be enslaved again.

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire’s slam attack (or any other natural weapon the vampire might possess) gain two negative levels. For each negative level bestowed, the vampire gains 5 temporary hit points. A vampire can use its energy drain ability once per round.

Special Qualities: A vampire retains all the special qualities of the base creature and gains those described below.

Alternate Form (Su): A vampire can assume the shape of a bat, dire bat, wolf, or dire wolf as a standard action. While in its alternate form, the vampire loses its natural slam attack and dominate ability, but it gains the natural weapons and extraordinary special attacks of its new form. It can remain in that form until it assumes another or until the next sunrise. (If the base creature is not terrestrial, this power might allow other forms.)

Damage Reduction (Su): A vampire has damage reduction 10/silver and magic. A vampire’s natural weapons are treated as magic weapons for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Fast Healing (Ex): A vampire heals 5 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Any additional damage dealt to a vampire forced into gaseous form has no effect. Once at rest in its coffin, a vampire is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 5 hit points per round.

Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, a vampire can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 5th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability.

Resistances (Ex): A vampire has resistance to cold 10 and electricity 10.

Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell.

Turn Resistance (Ex): A vampire has +4 turn resistance.

Abilities: Increase from the base creature as follows: Str +6, Dex +4, Int +2, Wis +2, Cha +4. As an undead creature, a vampire has no Constitution score.

Skills: Vampires have a +8 racial bonus on Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks. Otherwise same as the base creature.

Feats: Vampires gain Alertness, Combat Reflexes, Dodge, Improved Initiative, and Lightning Reflexes, assuming the base creature meets the prerequisites and doesn’t already have these feats.

Environment: Any, usually same as base creature.

Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3–5), or troupe (1–2 plus 2–5 vampire spawn)

Challenge Rating: Same as the base creature +2.

Treasure: Double standard.

Alignment: Always evil (any).

Advancement: By character class.

Level Adjustment: Same as the base creature +8.

Vampire Weaknesses

For all their power, vampires have a number of weaknesses.

Repelling a Vampire: Vampires cannot tolerate the strong odor of garlic and will not enter an area laced with it. Similarly, they recoil from a mirror or a strongly presented holy symbol. These things don’t harm the vampire - they merely keep it at bay. A recoiling vampire must stay at least 5 feet away from a creature holding the mirror or holy symbol and cannot touch or make melee attacks against the creature holding the item for the rest of the encounter. Holding a vampire at bay takes a standard action.

Vampires are also unable to cross running water, although they can be carried over it while resting in their coffins or aboard a ship. They are utterly unable to enter a home or other building unless invited in by someone with the authority to do so. They may freely enter public places, since these are by definition open to all.

Slaying a Vampire: Reducing a vampire’s hit points to 0 or lower incapacitates it but doesn’t always destroy it (see the note on fast healing). However, certain attacks can slay vampires.

Exposing any vampire to direct sunlight disorients it: It can take only a single move action or attack action and is destroyed utterly in the next round if it cannot escape. Similarly, immersing a vampire in running water robs it of one-third of its hit points each round until it is destroyed at the end of the third round of immersion.

Driving a wooden stake through a vampire’s heart instantly slays the monster. However, it returns to life if the stake is removed, unless the body is destroyed. A popular tactic is to cut off the creature’s head and fill its mouth with holy wafers (or their equivalent).

Vampire Characters

Vampires are always evil, which causes characters of certain classes to lose some class abilities. In addition, certain classes take additional penalties.

Clerics: Vampire clerics lose their ability to turn undead but gain the ability to rebuke undead. This ability does not affect the vampire’s controller or any other vampires that a master controls.

A vampire cleric has access to two of the following domains: Chaos, Destruction, Evil, or Trickery.

Sorcerers and Wizards: Vampire sorcerers and wizards retain their class abilities, but if a character has a familiar other than a rat or bat, the link between them is broken, and the familiar shuns its former companion. The character can summon another familiar, but it must be a rat or bat.

This feral-looking creature virtually drips with evil. Its garb is noble-looking, though in a state of disrepair. Its dark red mouth is dominated by a pair of vicious-looking canine teeth.

Vampire spawn are undead creatures that come into being when vampires slay mortals. Like their creators, spawn remain bound to their coffins and to the soil of their graves.

Vampire spawn appear much as they did in life, although their features are often hardened, with a predatory look.

Vampire spawn speak Common.

COMBAT

Vampire spawn use their inhuman strength when engaging mortals, hammering their foes with powerful blows and dashing them against rocks or walls. They also use their gaseous form and flight abilities to strike where opponents are most vulnerable.

Blood Drain (Ex): A vampire spawn can suck blood from a living victim with its fangs by making a successful grapple check. If it pins the foe, it drains blood, dealing 1d4 points of Constitution drain each round. On each such successful drain attack, the vampire spawn gains 5 temporary hit pints.

Domination (Su): A vampire spawn can crush an opponent’s will just by looking onto his or her eyes. This is similar to a gaze attack, except that the vampire must take a standard action, and those merely looking at it are not affected. Anyone the vampire targets must succeed on a DC 14 Will save or fall instantly under the vampire’s influence as though by a dominate person spell from a 5th level caster. The ability has a range of 30 feet. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a vampire spawn’s slam attack gain one negative level. The DC is 14 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the vampire spawn gains 5 temporary hit points.

Fast Healing (Ex): A vampire spawn heals 2 points of damage each round so long as it has at least 1 hit point. If reduced to 0 hit points in combat, it automatically assumes gaseous form and attempts to escape. It must reach its coffin home within 2 hours or be utterly destroyed. (It can travel up to nine miles in 2 hours.) Once at rest in its coffin, it is helpless. It regains 1 hit point after 1 hour, then is no longer helpless and resumes healing at the rate of 2 hit points per round.

Gaseous Form (Su): As a standard action, a vampire spawn can assume gaseous form at will as the spell (caster level 6th), but it can remain gaseous indefinitely and has a fly speed of 20 feet with perfect maneuverability.

Spider Climb (Ex): A vampire spawn can climb sheer surfaces as though with a spider climb spell.

Skills: Vampire spawn have a +4 racial bonus on Bluff, Hide, Listen, Move Silently, Search, Sense Motive, and Spot checks.

VAMPIRE SPAWN WEAKNESSES

Vampire spawn are vulnerable to all attacks and effects that repel or slay vampires. For details, see the Vampire entry.

This creature looks like a hideous, distorted human head suspended from leathery wings. In place of hair, it is crowned with writhing tendrils, and its eyes burn with a menacing green flame.

These revolting creatures come into the world from the deepest pits of the plane of Carceri. They haunt graveyards, ruins, and other places of death and decay.

A vargouille is slightly larger than a human head, about 18 inches high, with a wingspan of 4 feet. It weighs about 10 pounds.

Vargouilles speak Infernal.

COMBAT

Vargouilles attack by biting with their jagged teeth. Their special attacks make them even more dangerous. A vargouille’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Shriek (Su): Instead of biting, a vargouille can open its distended mouth and let out a terrible shriek. Those within 60 feet (except other vargouilles) who hear the shriek and can clearly see the creature must succeed on a DC 12 Fortitude save or be paralyzed with fear for 2d4 rounds or until the monster attacks them, goes out of range, or leaves their sight. A paralyzed creature is susceptible to the vargouille’s kiss (see below). A creature that successfully saves cannot be affected again by the same vargouille’s shriek for 24 hours. The shriek is a mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 racial bonus.

Kiss (Su): A vargouille can kiss a paralyzed target with a successful melee touch attack. An affected opponent must succeed on a DC 15 Fortitude save or begin a terrible transformation that turns the creature into a vargouille within 24 hours (and often much sooner; roll 1d6 separately for each phase of the transformation). First, over a period of 1d6 hours, all the victim’s hair falls out. Within another 1d6 hours thereafter, the ears grow into leathery wings, tentacles sprout on the chin and scalp, and the teeth become long, pointed fangs. During the next 1d6 hours, the victim takes Intelligence drain and Charisma drain equal to 1 point per hour (to a minimum of 3). The transformation is complete 1d6 hours later, when the head breaks free of the body (which promptly dies) and becomes a vargouille.

This transformation is interrupted by sunlight, and even a daylight spell can delay death, but to reverse the transformation requires remove disease. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +4 racial bonus.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 12 or be unable to heal the vargouille’s bite damage naturally or magically. A neutralize poison or heal spell removes the effect, while delay poison allows magical healing. The save DC is Constitution-based and includes a +1 racial bonus.

This creature resembles a human corpse. Its wild, frantic eyes burn with malevolence. The leathery, desiccated flesh is drawn tight across its bones, and the teeth have grown into sharp, jagged needles.

Wights are undead creatures given a semblance of life through sheer violence and hatred. A wight’s appearance is a weird and twisted reflection of the form it had in life.

Wights lurk in barrow-mounds, catacombs, and other places thick with the aura of death, where they nurture their hatred. They seek to destroy all life, filling graveyards with their victims and populating the world with their horrid progeny.

A wight is about the height and weight of a human.

Wights speak Common.

COMBAT

Wights attack by hammering with their fists.

Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid slain by a wight becomes a wight in 1d4 rounds. Spawn are under the command of the wight that created them and remain enslaved until its death. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.

Energy Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a wight’s slam attack gain one negative level. The DC is 14 for the Fortitude save to remove a negative level. The save DC is Charisma-based. For each such negative level bestowed, the wight gains 5 temporary hit points.

Skills: Wights have a +8 racial bonus on Move Silently checks.

This creature seems to be nothing but a faintly glowing sphere of light.

Will-o’-wisps are evil creatures that feed on the powerful emotions associated with panic, horror, and death. They delight in luring travelers into deadly peril, then absorbing the resulting emanations.

Will-o’-wisps can be yellow, white, green, or blue. They are easily mistaken for lanterns, especially in the foggy marshes and swamps where they reside. A will-o’-wisp’s body is a globe of spongy material about 1 foot across and weighing about 3 pounds, and its glowing body sheds as much light as a torch.

Will-o’-wisps speak Common and Auran. They have no vocal apparatus but can vibrate to create a voice with a ghostly sound.

COMBAT

Will-o’-wisps usually avoid combat. They prefer to confuse and bewilder adventurers, luring them into morasses or other hazardous places. When they are forced to fight, they loose small electrical shocks, which act as melee touch attacks.

Immunity to Magic (Ex): A will-o’-wisp is immune to most spells or spell-like abilities that allow spell resistance, except magic missile and maze.

Natural Invisibility (Ex): A startled or frightened will-o’-wisp can extinguish its glow, effectively becoming invisible as the spell.

This creature looks like a white wolf with icy blue eyes. It stands as tall as a horse, and its breath smokes with cold.

Dangerous predators of the tundra and other chill regions, winter wolves pursue prey relentlessly. They rarely give up the chase until they bring down their quarry.

Winter wolves are more intelligent than their smaller cousins and sometimes associate with other evil creatures of their cold homelands, such as frost giants, whom they serve as scouts, hunters, and trackers.

A winter wolf grows about 8 feet long and stands about 4-1/2 feet at the shoulder. It weighs about 450 pounds.

Winter wolves can speak Giant and Common.

COMBAT

Winter wolves typically hunt in packs. Their size, cunning, and formidable breath weapon allow them to hunt and kill creatures much larger than themselves. A pack usually circles an opponent, each wolf attacking in turn to exhaust it. If they’re in a hurry, white wolves try to pin their foes.

Breath Weapon (Su): 15-foot cone, once every 1d4 rounds, damage 4d6 cold, Reflex DC 16 half. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Freezing Bite (Su): A winter wolf deals an extra 1d6 points of cold damage every time it bites an opponent, as if its bite were a frost weapon.

Trip (Ex): A winter wolf that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+8 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the winter wolf.

Skills: Winter wolves have a +1 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks. Winter wolves have a +2 racial bonus on Hide checks. *Their natural coloration grants them a +7 racial bonus on Hide checks in areas of snow and ice. A winter wolf has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

This beast looks like a dark-colored wolf with a malevolent intelligence in its face and eyes.

Worgs are sinister wolves that have attained some intelligence and an evil disposition. They sometimes associate with other evil beings, particularly goblins, whom they serve as mounts and guardians.

Worgs usually live and hunt in packs. Their favored prey is large herbivores. Although they typically stalk and kill young, sick, or weak animals, they don’t hesitate to hunt humanoids, particularly when game is scarce. Worgs may stalk humanoid prey for hours or even days before attacking, and choose the most advantageous terrain and time of day to do so (during the predawn hours, for example).

A typical worg has gray or black fur, grows to 5 feet long and stands 3 feet tall at the shoulder. It weighs 300 pounds.

More intelligent than their smaller cousins, worgs speak their own language. Some can also speak Common and Goblin.

COMBAT

Mated pairs or packs work together to bring down large game, while lone worgs usually chase down creatures smaller than themselves. Both often use hit-and-run tactics to exhaust their quarry. A pack usually circles a larger opponent: Each wolf attacks in turn, biting and retreating, until the creature is exhausted, at which point the pack moves in for the kill. If they get impatient or heavily outnumber the opponent, worgs attempt to pin it.

Trip (Ex): A worg that hits with a bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+3 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the worg.

Skills: A worg has a +1 racial bonus on Listen, Move Silently, and Spot checks, and a +2 racial bonus on Hide checks.

*A worg has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

This creature is a sinister, spectral figure robed in darkness. It has no visible features or appendages, except for the glowing red pinpoints of its eyes.

Wraiths are incorporeal creatures born of evil and darkness. They despise all living things, as well as the light that nurtures them.

In some cases, the grim silhouette of a wraith might appear armored or outfitted with weapons. This appearance does not affect the creature’s AC or combat abilities but only reflects the shape it had in life.

A wraith is about as tall as a human, while a dread wraith is roughly the size of an ogre. Since both are incorporeal, they are weightless.

Wraiths speak Common and Infernal.

COMBAT

Both the wraith and the dread wraith share the following abilities.

Unnatural Aura (Su): Animals, whether wild or domesticated, can sense the unnatural presence of a wraith at a distance of 30 feet. They will not willingly approach nearer than that and panic if forced to do so; they remain panicked as long as they are within that range.

Daylight Powerlessness (Ex): Wraiths are utterly powerless in natural sunlight (not merely a daylight spell) and flee from it.

WRAITH

Constitution Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a wraith’s incorporeal touch attack must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or take 1d6 points of Constitution drain. The save DC is Charisma-based. On each such successful attack, the wraith gains 5 temporary hit points.

Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid slain by a wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed. Spawn are under the command of the wraith that created them and remain enslaved until its death. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.

DREAD WRAITH

The oldest and most malevolent wraiths lurk in the depths of forgotten temples and other forsaken places. They can sense the approach of living creatures, and hunger for them. Despite its size, the dread wraith possesses unearthly quickness, and makes use of its Spring Attack feat and natural reach to strike with deadly effect and melt back into the shadows - or the walls.

Lifesense (Su): A dread wraith notices and locates living creatures within 60 feet, just as if it possessed the blindsight ability. It also senses the strength of their life force automatically, as if it had cast deathwatch.

Constitution Drain (Su): Living creatures hit by a dread wraith’s incorporeal touch attack must succeed on a DC 25 Fortitude save or take 1d8 points of Constitution drain. The save DC is Charisma-based. On each such successful attack, the dread wraith gains 5 temporary hit points.

Create Spawn (Su): Any humanoid slain by a dread wraith becomes a wraith in 1d4 rounds. Its body remains intact and inanimate, but its spirit is torn free from its corpse and transformed. Spawn are under the command of the wraith that created them and remain enslaved until its death. They do not possess any of the abilities they had in life.

This two-legged lizard is bigger than an ogre. It has a long tail tipped with a thick knot of cartilage from which a stinger protrudes much like that of a scorpion. It has leathery bat wings and huge jaws filled with long, sharp teeth.

A distant cousin to the true dragons, the wyvern is a huge flying lizard with a poisonous stinger in its tail.

A wyvern does not have a strong odor, although its lair might smell of a recent kill.

A wyvern’s body is 15 feet long, and dark brown to gray; half that length is tail. Its wingspan is about 20 feet. A wyvern weighs about one ton.

Wyverns speak Draconic, but usually don’t bother with anything more elaborate than a loud hiss or a deep-throated growl much like that of a bull alligator.

COMBAT

Wyverns are rather stupid but always aggressive: They attack nearly anything that isn’t obviously more powerful than themselves. A wyvern dives from the air, snatching the opponent with its talons and stinging it to death.

A wyvern can slash with its talons only when making a flyby attack.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a wyvern must hit with its talons. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and stings.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and secondary damage 2d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills: Wyverns have a +3 racial bonus on Spot checks.

This quasi-reptilian creature has four arms, bright red scales, and dark, penetrating eyes. It is not quite as tall as a human.

Malevolent in the extreme, xills are known for brutality and totalitarianism. They combine a healthy dose of evil with a keen love of cruelty.

Some xills are barbaric and fierce; others are more civilized creatures who rely on brutal order.

A xill stands 4 to 5 feet tall and weighs about 100 pounds.

Xills speak Infernal.

COMBAT

Xills are dangerous opponents, attacking with all four limbs. More civilized ones use weapons, usually fighting with two at a time so as to leave two claws free for grab attacks.

Xills typically lie in wait on the Ethereal Plane for suitable prey to happen by, then ambush it using their planewalk ability. They make full use of their Tumble skill in combat: Usually, one or two distract physically powerful enemies by attacking, then assuming a defensive stance while their fellows maneuver to advantage.

Implant (Ex): As a standard action, a xill can lay eggs inside a paralyzed creature. The young emerge about 90 days later, literally devouring the host from inside. A remove disease spell rids a victim of the egg, as does a DC 25 Heal check. If the check fails, the healer can try again, but each attempt (successful or not) deals 1d4 points of damage to the patient.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a xill must hit with one or more claw attacks. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. It receives a +2 bonus on the grapple check for each claw that hits. If it wins the grapple check and maintains the hold in the next round, it automatically bites the foe at that time. The bite deals no damage but injects a paralyzing venom.

Paralysis (Ex): Those bitten by a xill must succeed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or be paralyzed for 1d4 hours. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Planewalk (Su): These planar travelers like to slip between the folds of space to attack enemies as though from thin air. They can cross from the Ethereal Plane with a move action but take 2 rounds to cross back, during which time they are immobile. As a xill fades away, it becomes harder to hit: Opponents have a 20% miss chance in the first round and a 50% miss chance in the second. A xill can planewalk with a willing or helpless creature.

XILL CHARACTERS

A gang of xills is often led by a cleric. A xill cleric has access to two of the following domains: Evil, Law, Strength, or Travel.

This bizarre creature has a wide body made of a pebbly, stonelike material. It has a large, powerful mouth on top of its head, with three long arms, tipped with sharp talons, symmetrically positioned around it. Between the arms are large, stone-lidded eyes that see in all directions. At its base are three thick, short legs, each directly beneath an eye.

Xorns are scavengers from the Elemental Plane of Earth.

Minor xorns are about 3 feet tall and wide and weigh about 120 pounds. Average xorns are about 5 feet tall and wide, weighing about 600 pounds. Elder xorns are about 8 feet tall and wide and weigh about 9,000 pounds.

Xorns speak Common and Terran.

COMBAT

Xorns do not attack fleshly beings except to defend themselves or their property, since they cannot digest meat. Xorns are indifferent to creatures of the Material Plane - with the sole exception of anyone carrying a significant amount of precious metals or minerals, which xorns eat. They can smell food up to 20 feet away. A xorn can be quite aggressive when seeking food, especially on the Material Plane, where such sustenance is harder to find than it is on its native plane.

A xorn’s favorite mode of attack is to wait just beneath a stone surface until a foe comes within reach, then emerge suddenly. Groups of xorns often send one of their number to the surface to negotiate for food while the remainder position themselves for a surprise attack.

All-Around Vision (Ex): A xorn’s symmetrically placed eyes allow it to look in any direction, providing a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Search checks. A xorn can’t be flanked.

Earth Glide (Ex): A xorn can glide through stone, dirt, or almost any other sort of earth except metal as easily as a fish swims through water. Its burrowing leaves behind no tunnel or hole, nor does it create any ripple or other signs of its presence. A move earth spell cast on an area containing a burrowing xorn flings the xorn back 30 feet, stunning the creature for 1 round unless it succeeds on a DC 15 Fortitude save.

This creature looks something like an oversized greyhound with dull black fur. Its eyes glow cherry red.

These fearsome flying hounds glide low over the countryside at night, seeking likely prey.

A yeth hound stands 5 feet tall at the shoulder and weighs about 400 pounds.

Yeth hounds cannot speak, but understand Infernal.

COMBAT

Yeth hounds hunt only at night. They fear the sun and never venture out in daylight, even if their lives depend on it.

A yeth hound’s natural weapons, as well as any weapons it wields, are treated as evil-aligned for the purpose of overcoming damage reduction.

Bay (Su): When a yeth hound howls or barks, all creatures except other evil outsiders within a 300-foot spread must succeed on a DC 11 Will save or become panicked for 2d4 rounds. This is a sonic mind-affecting fear effect. Whether or not the save is successful, an affected creature is immune to the same hound’s bay for 24 hours. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Trip (Ex): A yeth hound that hits with its bite attack can attempt to trip the opponent (+3 check modifier) as a free action without making a touch attack or provoking an attack of opportunity. If the attempt fails, the opponent cannot react to trip the yeth hound.

Flight (Su): A yeth hound can cease or resume flight as a free action.

Skills: *A yeth hound has a +4 racial bonus on Survival checks when tracking by scent.

This creature resembles an eyeless, yellow-green flying reptile with fleshy wings, a long tail, and a large fin on its back. It has single hornlike protrusion on its crocodilian head.

A strange predator from desolate wastelands, the yrthak terrorizes the area it inhabits as an always hungry dragon might.

A yrthak is blind. It senses sound and movement by means of a special organ on its long tongue. It emits powerfully focused beams of sound from the protrusion on its head. The creature is a yellowish-green color, with the wings and fin being more yellow and the head and body more green. The teeth are yellow.

Yrthaks are crafty and devious. They are omnivorous but prefer meat. An yrthak keeps a nest high in its isolated mountain lair and may travel for days in search of food, returning only infrequently. Yrthaks are sometimes seen swooping 100 feet or more above the ground, attempting to sense prey.

A yrthak is about 20 feet long, with a wingspan of 40 feet. It weighs about 5,000 pounds.

Despite their intelligence, yrthaks do not speak.

COMBAT

A yrthak prefers to attack from the air, strafing the ground with sonic attacks or snatching up and dropping prey (eventually landing to devour the flattened mess).

Sonic Lance (Su): Once every 2 rounds, a yrthak can focus sonic energy in a ray up to 60 feet long. This is a ranged touch attack that deals 6d6 points of damage to a single target.

Explosion (Su): A yrthak can fire its sonic lance at the ground, a large rock, a stone wall, or the like to create an explosion of shattered stone. This attack deals 2d6 points of piercing damage to all within 10 feet of the effect’s center. This counts as a use of the sonic lance attack and thus is usable only once every 2 rounds, and never on the round following a sonic lance attack.

Blindsight (Ex): A yrthak can ascertain all foes within 120 feet. Beyond that range it is considered blinded. Yrthaks are invulnerable to gaze attacks, visual effects of spells such as illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight. A yrthak whose sense of hearing is impaired is effectively blinded, treating all targets as having total concealment.

Immunities: Yrthaks have immunity to gaze attacks, visual effects, illusions, and other attack forms that rely on sight.

Skills: Yrthaks have a +4 racial bonus on Listen checks.

The yuan-ti are descended from humans whose bloodlines have been mingled with those of snakes. Their evilness, cunning, and ruthlessness are legendary.

Yuan-ti constantly scheme to advance their own dark agendas. They are calculating and suave enough to form alliances with other evil creatures when necessary, but they always put their own interests first.

All yuan-ti possess some snakelike features, and many have snake body parts.

Yuan-ti speak their own language, plus Common, Draconic, and Abyssal.

COMBAT

Yuan-ti are geniuses and fight as such. They plan elaborate traps and utilize their surroundings superbly in combat, preferring ambushes to direct confrontation. They also prefer ranged attacks and spells to melee.

In a mixed group, the least valuable and powerful attack first. This means that the purebloods go before the halfbloods, which go before the abominations. The group leader may order particular members forward before others if that makes for better strategy.

Alternate Form (Sp): All yuan-ti can assume the form of a Tiny to Large viper (see the Snake entry, page 280) as a psionic ability. This ability is similar to a polymorph spell (caster level 19th), but a yuan-ti does not regain any hit points for changing form, and it can only assume viper forms. The yuan-ti loses its natural weapons (if any) and gains the natural weapon of the viper form it assumes. If the yuan-ti has a poisonous bite of its own, it uses its own or the viper’s poison, whichever is more potent.

Detect Poison (Sp): All yuan-ti have the psionic ability to detect poison as the spell (caster level 6th).

YUAN-TI CHARACTERS

The favored class for yuan-ti purebloods and halfbloods is ranger. Yuan-ti abominations favor the cleric class. Yuan-ti clerics worship Merrshaulk. A yuan-ti cleric has access to two of the following domains: Chaos, Evil, Destruction, or Plant.

YUAN-TI SOCIETY

The abominations rule over the yuan-ti and are the temple leaders, with the high priest above all. Purebloods take care of all outside negotiations, always pretending to be human.

The chief deity of the yuan-ti is Merrshaulk, who prompted and directed the formation of the line.

YUAN-TI PUREBLOOD

This being looks much like a slim-hipped, lithe human with sharp features and unblinking eyes. A closer look, however, reveals a forked tongue, pointed teeth, and scaly patches on the neck and limbs.

Yuan-ti purebloods appear human at first glance, with only very subtle snakelike features. A pureblood is about the same height and weight as a human.

COMBAT

Purebloods are the least intelligent of the yuan-ti, though they still pride themselves on being more intelligent than humans. Purebloods often disguise them- selves as humans and work among them as spies for their abomination masters.

Spell-Like Abilities: 1/day—animal trance (DC 13), cause fear (DC 12), charm person (DC 12), darkness, entangle (DC 12). Caster level 4th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Skills: *A pureblood gains a +5 racial bonus on Disguise checks when impersonating a human.

YUAN-TI PUREBLOODS AS CHARACTERS

Yuan-ti Pureblood characters possess the following racial traits.

• +2 Dexterity, +2 Intelligence, +2 Charisma.

• Medium size.

• A yuan-ti pureblood’s base land speed is 30 feet.

• Darkvision out to 60 feet..

• Racial Hit Dice: A yuan-ti pureblood begins with four levels of monstrous humanoid, which provide 4d8 Hit Dice, a base attack bonus of +4, and base saving throw bonuses of Fort +1, Ref +4, and Will +4.

• Racial Skills: A yuan-ti pureblood’s monstrous humanoid levels give it skill points equal to 7 × (2 + Int modifier). Its class skills are Concentration, Disguise, Hide, Knowledge (any), Listen and Spot.

• Racial Feats: A yuan-ti pureblood’s monstrous humanoid levels give it two feats. Yuan-ti purebloods receive Alertness and Blind-Fight as bonus feats.

• +1 natural armor bonus.

• Special Attacks (see above): Spell-like abilities.

• Special Qualities (see above): Alternate form, detect poison, spell resistance equal to class levels + 14.

• Automatic Languages: Yuan-ti, Common. Bonus Languages: Abyssal, Draconic.

• Favored Class: Ranger.

• Level adjustment +2.

YUAN-TI HALFBLOOD

This being has the body of a lithe human with sharp features and unblinking eyes. Its skin is covered with gleaming scales, and a serpent’s head, complete with long fangs and forked tongue, rises from its shoulders.

Like purebloods, yuan-ti halfbloods appear mostly human, but they always have obvious snake features. The snakelike features of a halfblood may reflect any of a variety of venomous snakes, so a halfblood may have a cobra’s hood or a diamondback’s distinctive scale pattern. These features are usually consistent within a single troupe of yuan-ti, and often mark a troupe’s status within a tribe. A halfblood is about the same height and weight as a human.

COMBAT

Halfbloods typically hang back out of melee while any purebloods accompanying them wade in, using their chameleon power to hide while softening up opponents with their spell-like abilities. If the purebloods all fall, the halfbloods wade into melee in their stead.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 14, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Produce Acid (Sp): A yuan-ti halfblood has the psionic power to exude acid from its body, dealing 3d6 points of acid damage to the next creature it touches, including a creature hit by its bite attack. If the yuan-ti is grappling or pinning a foe when it uses this power, its grasp deals 5d6 points of acid damage. The acid becomes inert when it leaves the yuan-ti’s body, and the yuan-ti is immune to its effects.

Spell-Like Abilities: 3/day—animal trance (DC 15), cause fear (DC 14), entangle (DC 14); 1/day—deeper darkness, neutralize poison (DC 17), suggestion (DC 16). Caster level 8th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Chameleon Power (Sp): A yuan-ti halfblood can psionically change the coloration of itself and its equipment to match its surroundings, granting it a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.

Skills: *Yuan-ti halfbloods using chameleon power gain a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.

HALFBLOOD VARIANTS

The statistics above reflect the most common form of a yuan-ti halfblood, with the head and scaly skin of a serpent but otherwise human features. The curse of the yuan-ti produces a wide variety of halfbloods, however, manifesting their serpentine nature in dif- ferent ways. To generate a random yuan-ti halfblood, roll d% and consult the following table.

Constrict (Ex): A halfblood with a snake tail deals extra damage (1d4+3 if it also has legs, or 1d6+3 if it does not) with a successful grapple check against a creature small enough for it to constrict.

YUAN-TI ABOMINATION

This creature looks like a big serpent, except that its eyes betray a baleful intelligence and it has two burly, humanoid arms.

Yuan-ti abominations are monstrous snakes with humanlike arms. The snakelike features of an abomination may reflect any of a variety of venomous snakes, so an abomination may have a black mamba’s glossy scales or a viper’s wedge-shaped head. These features are usually consistent within a single troupe of yuan-ti, and often mark a troupe’s status within a tribe.

A yuan-ti abomination is 8 to 12 feet long and weighs 200 to 300 pounds

COMBAT

Abominations are the masterminds of yuan-ti society, and urge their lesser kin into battle from the rear. While their underlings fight, the abominations watch the proceedings carefully, identifying the most danger- ous foes and their most worrisome abilities, then try to neutralize those enemies with their extensive spell-like and psionic abilities.

Aversion (Sp): A yuan-ti abomination can psionically create a compulsion effect targeting one creature within 30 feet. The target must succeed on a DC 22 Will save or gain an aversion to snakes for 10 minutes. Affected creatures must stay at least 20 feet away from any snake or yuanti, alive or dead; if already within 20 feet, they move away. A subject unable to move away, or one attacked by snakes or yuan-ti, is overcome with revulsion. This revulsion reduces the creature’s Dexterity score by 4 points until the effect wears off or the subject is no longer within 20 feet of a snake or yuan-ti. This ability is otherwise similar to antipathy as the spell (caster level 16th). The save DC is Charisma-based.

Constrict (Ex): An abomination deals 1d6+6 points of damage with a successful grapple check.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, an abomination must hit a Large or smaller creature with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can constrict.

Poison (Ex): Injury, Fortitude DC 17, initial and secondary damage 1d6 Con. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Produce Acid (Sp): An abomination has the psionic ability to exude acid from its body, dealing 3d6 points of acid damage to the next creature it touches, including a creature hit by its bite attack. If the yuan-ti is grappling, constricting, or pinning a foe when it uses this power, its grasp deals 5d6 points of acid damage. The acid becomes inert when it leaves the yuan-ti’s body, and the yuan-ti is immune to its effects.

Spell-Like Abilities: At will—animal trance (DC 16), entangle (DC 15); 3/day—deeper darkness, neutralize poison (DC 18), suggestion (DC 17); 1/day—baleful polymorph (DC 19; into snake form only), fear (DC 18). Caster level 10th. The save DCs are Charisma-based.

Chameleon Power (Sp): A yuan-ti abomination can psionically change the coloration of itself and its equipment to match its surroundings, granting it a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.

Skills: A yuan-ti abomination can always choose to take 10 on a Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. A yuan-ti abomination has a +8 racial bonus on any Swim check to perform some special action or avoid a hazard. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim check, even if distracted or endangered. It can use the run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line.

*Yuan-ti abominations using chameleon power gain a +10 circumstance bonus on Hide checks.

Zombies are corpses reanimated through dark and sinister magic. These mindless automatons shamble about, doing their creator’s bidding without fear or hesitation.

Zombies are not pleasant to look upon. Drawn from their graves, half decayed and partially consumed by worms, they wear the tattered remains of their burial clothes. A rank odor of death hangs heavy in the air around them.

Because of their utter lack of intelligence, the instructions given to a newly created zombie must be very simple, such as "Kill anyone who enters this room."

CREATING A ZOMBIE

“Zombie” is an acquired template that can be added to any corporeal creature (other than an undead) that has a skeletal system (referred to hereafter as the base creature).

Size and Type: The creature’s type changes to undead. It retains any subtypes except alignment subtypes and subtypes that indicate kind. It does not gain the augmented subtype. It uses all the base creature’s statistics and special abilities except as noted here.

Hit Dice: Drop any Hit Dice from class levels (to a minimum of 1), double the number of Hit Dice left, and raise them to d12s. If the base creature has more than 10 Hit Dice (not counting those gained with experience), it can’t be made into a zombie with the animate dead spell.

Speed: If the base creature can fly, its maneuverability rating drops to clumsy.

Armor Class: Natural armor bonus increases by a number based on the zombie’s size:

Base Attack: A zombie has a base attack bonus equal to 1/2 its Hit Dice.

Attacks: A zombie retains all the natural weapons, manufactured weapon attacks, and weapon proficiencies of the base creature. A zombie also gains a slam attack.

Damage: Natural and manufactured weapons deal damage normally. A slam attack deals damage depending on the zombie’s size. (Use the base creature’s slam damage if it’s better.)

Special Attacks: A zombie retains none of the base creature’s special attacks.

Special Qualities: A zombie loses most special qualities of the base creature. It retains any extraordinary special qualities that improve its melee or ranged attacks. A zombie gains the following special quality.

Single Actions Only (Ex): Zombies have poor reflexes and can perform only a single move action or attack action each round. A zombie can move up to its speed and attack in the same round, but only if it attempts a charge.

Saves: Base save bonuses are Fort +1/3 HD, Ref +1/3 HD, and Will +1/2 HD + 2.

Abilities: A zombie’s Strength increases by +2, its Dexterity decreases by 2, it has no Constitution or Intelligence score, its Wisdom changes to 10, and its Charisma changes to 1.

Skills: A zombie has no skills.

Feats: A zombie loses all feats of the base creature and gains Toughness.

Environment: Any land and underground.

Organization: Any.

Challenge Rating: Depends on Hit Dice, as follows:

Treasure: None.

Alignment: Always neutral evil.

Advancement: As base creature, but double Hit Dice (maximum 20), or — if the base creature advances by character class.

Level Adjustment: —.