Scalenex
2010-12-23, 09:28 AM
I was inspired by a Hellboy animated movie for this.
Floating heads are evil souls reformed by dark gods to cause mayhem in the material plane. Alternatively they could be suffering a punishment for past sins.
Floating heads look like normal medium creatures about half the time, mimicking the most common races, styles of dress, and languages common to an area.
The other half the time they abandon their bodies in a heap and float around and disemebodied heads. Their facial features become more bestial and their teeth become very jagged and deadly.
But they need to detach their heads periodically or they'll sicken and die. Likewise they grow weaker if they spend too much time attached. Most can make it a week either way before they start suffering penalties. Generally speaking they prefer to remain as floating heads as often as possible but remain attached to their bodies.
While attached to their bodies Floating Heads lose their bite attack, their ability to fly and 10 points of Dexterity, and become medium sized. When detached the body and head have the full hit points of the creature and the body gains DR 10, but cannot defend itself or even move.
Floating heads eat flesh to survive and can only feed while their heads are detached. They can eat for appearances sake in their normal humanoid form but they gain no nourishment from this. They try to lure potential meals into complacency by acting the part of harmless locals then attacking when their guard is down. A common ruse is to run an inn on an isolated road and attack the patrons in their sleep, moving on to a new location when suspicisions mount against them. If found out they are clever enough to use their ability to hover and small size to hide in unexpected places but are relucantly to move too far from their bodies and headless warm corpses tip people off.
Although cowardly enough when setting up ambushes, they fight to death once battle is joined. They can detach their heads from their bodies as a free action and usually do so and attack immediately if their lies are pierced. Their tactics are very simple, fly at the nearest enemy and bite them till they die, then repeat. If facing serious opposition they gang up on a single attacker, but most have very specific preferences in what flesh they consume (male or female, young or old, elven etc) and will often go for their favorite flavor of humanoid first. Floating Heads with class levels don't need their bodies to cast spells with somatic components.
Floating heads collect the treasure of their victims. They see little personal use for treasure but value it's utility in buying the implements necessary to maintain their various facades of normalacy.
Floating Heads
Tiny Evil Outsider
Hit Dice: 4d8+11
Initiative: +10
Speed: 30 (six squares) (land when bodies are connected)60 feet (flying perfect maneuverability)
Armor Class: 18, Dex +6, Natural +1, Tiny +2
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/-1
Attack: Melee, +9 (Base +4+Size+2, Strength +3) Bite 1d8+4
Full Attack: Melee, +9 Bite 1d8+4
Space/Reach: 2.5 feet/0
Special Qualities: Body has DR 10 when separated
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +3
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 22, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 10
Skills: Bluff +7, Intimidate +3, Gather Information +1, Hide +12, Move Silently +10, Perform (acting) +1, Profession (whatever they masquerade as) +0, Spot +2, (abilities already factored in)
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness
Environment: Evil realms
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: Add class levels
Level Adjustment: NA
Since in my world the god that creates Floating Heads is also the patron of disease I might give advanced versions of the monster an infectious bite.
Floating heads are evil souls reformed by dark gods to cause mayhem in the material plane. Alternatively they could be suffering a punishment for past sins.
Floating heads look like normal medium creatures about half the time, mimicking the most common races, styles of dress, and languages common to an area.
The other half the time they abandon their bodies in a heap and float around and disemebodied heads. Their facial features become more bestial and their teeth become very jagged and deadly.
But they need to detach their heads periodically or they'll sicken and die. Likewise they grow weaker if they spend too much time attached. Most can make it a week either way before they start suffering penalties. Generally speaking they prefer to remain as floating heads as often as possible but remain attached to their bodies.
While attached to their bodies Floating Heads lose their bite attack, their ability to fly and 10 points of Dexterity, and become medium sized. When detached the body and head have the full hit points of the creature and the body gains DR 10, but cannot defend itself or even move.
Floating heads eat flesh to survive and can only feed while their heads are detached. They can eat for appearances sake in their normal humanoid form but they gain no nourishment from this. They try to lure potential meals into complacency by acting the part of harmless locals then attacking when their guard is down. A common ruse is to run an inn on an isolated road and attack the patrons in their sleep, moving on to a new location when suspicisions mount against them. If found out they are clever enough to use their ability to hover and small size to hide in unexpected places but are relucantly to move too far from their bodies and headless warm corpses tip people off.
Although cowardly enough when setting up ambushes, they fight to death once battle is joined. They can detach their heads from their bodies as a free action and usually do so and attack immediately if their lies are pierced. Their tactics are very simple, fly at the nearest enemy and bite them till they die, then repeat. If facing serious opposition they gang up on a single attacker, but most have very specific preferences in what flesh they consume (male or female, young or old, elven etc) and will often go for their favorite flavor of humanoid first. Floating Heads with class levels don't need their bodies to cast spells with somatic components.
Floating heads collect the treasure of their victims. They see little personal use for treasure but value it's utility in buying the implements necessary to maintain their various facades of normalacy.
Floating Heads
Tiny Evil Outsider
Hit Dice: 4d8+11
Initiative: +10
Speed: 30 (six squares) (land when bodies are connected)60 feet (flying perfect maneuverability)
Armor Class: 18, Dex +6, Natural +1, Tiny +2
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/-1
Attack: Melee, +9 (Base +4+Size+2, Strength +3) Bite 1d8+4
Full Attack: Melee, +9 Bite 1d8+4
Space/Reach: 2.5 feet/0
Special Qualities: Body has DR 10 when separated
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +10, Will +3
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 22, Con 15, Int 8, Wis 8, Cha 10
Skills: Bluff +7, Intimidate +3, Gather Information +1, Hide +12, Move Silently +10, Perform (acting) +1, Profession (whatever they masquerade as) +0, Spot +2, (abilities already factored in)
Feats: Improved Initiative, Toughness
Environment: Evil realms
Organization: Solitary, pair, gang (3-6)
Challenge Rating: 4
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Usually chaotic evil
Advancement: Add class levels
Level Adjustment: NA
Since in my world the god that creates Floating Heads is also the patron of disease I might give advanced versions of the monster an infectious bite.