The elusive Sea Serpent

[AlanBruce]

Greetings! I'll be running an aquatic arc in my campaign soon. The party is fairly high level (12-13th) and have chartered a Caravel to cross the ocean to their next destination.

I already have a bunch of encounters planned for the party, but try as I could, I was unable to find the Sea Serpent in any of the MMs. I was sure the MM2 had one, but that wasn't the case.

Does anyone know if a sea serpent was actually written down in any of the 3.0 or 3.5 books?

Thank you very much.

[Inevitability]

Take a look at stromwrack. Even if that book hasn't got a sea serpent in it (and it should have), you can always handwave it and put the amphibious template on a normal snake.

[nedz]

One of these might fit the bill:

Legendary Snake MM2 p136 CR 8
Topaz Dragon MM2 p085 CR Various
Drake, Sea FF p147 CR Various
Lucent Worm FF p118 CR 17
Sea Linnorm DR346 p065 CR Various
Crested Sea Serpent DR345 p056 CR Various
Lantern Sea Serpent DR345 p058 CR Various
Mist Dragon DoF p142 CR Various
Spiked Sea Serpent, DR345 p061 CR Various
Dire Snake MM2 p074 CR 5
Drake, Water (Dcn p157) CR 8
Sea Snake, Viper (Storm p170) (MM p280) CR Various

[Jormengand]

If you're willing to dip into Pathfinder, there are these:

CR roughly correct:

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/sea-serpent
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/dragons/sea-serpents-TOHC/sea-serpent-brine

CR too low, could work with more than one:

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/dragons/sea-serpents-TOHC/sea-serpent-fanged
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/dragons/sea-serpents-TOHC/sea-serpent-gilded
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/dragons/sea-serpents-TOHC/sea-serpent-spitting

CR too high, possible boss monster:

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/magical-beasts/serpent-deep-sea
http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/dragons/sea-serpents-TOHC/sea-serpent-deep-hunter

CR way too high, don't even try it:

http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/monster-listings/dragons/sea-serpents-TOHC/sea-serpent-shipbreaker

[Blackhawk748]

Kingdoms of Kalamar Dangerous Denizens has a few "sea serpent" styled creatures, as well as an aquatic Tarrasque ;)

[Vaz]

The Styxian Dragon is a pretty decent challenge.

[Anxe]

Give a Purple Worm a swim speed?

[Blackhawk748]

An Aquatic Frost Worm?

[Yorrin]

Aspect of the Leviathan is CR 16, if you want to toss something from Elder Evils in there. A bit hard for a party of that level, but if they're optimized it should be a good fight.

[AlanBruce]

Thank you very much for all the great responses!

I had not considered PF, but after checking the links provided, some will definitely be showing up, specially if the party decides to dive into the ocean depths looking for treasure.

I had not cosnidered the Styx Dragon and the Elder Evil aspect... but why not? They have yet to fight a dragon (enemies have been fey, humanoid, plants, and undead so far), so it's about time.

The party is fairly well optimized, with a warforged spirit shaman, a human paragon/cleric/druid, a grey elf conjurer, a dragon shaman, a pixie bard/LT, and a drow abjurant champion. They have plenty of BFC and mobility spells at their disposal and the damage they can dish out is really good, but they have yet to fight underwater, where these creatures will be most likely making an appearance.

Will look into Dragon magazine for the serpents mentioned above. They sure look interesting.

And oddly enough, it was the Sea Drake's illustration in FF that brought to mind the idea of the sea serpent, since I vaguely remmeber it as looking like one staring at a ship off in the horizon.

Thank you very much!