TheThan
2007-04-07, 07:18 PM
Ok i posted this monster quite a while ago, but i thought I'd chuck it up to the others here and see if its worthy of the monsters in the playground project. Since I couldn't figure out how to turn the old thread into a poll (failed my knowledge (internet) check). I've decided to repost it with a poll attached to it this time. So here it is.
Giant Man-Eating Clam
The giant man eating clam is a strange creature of the seas. These clams grow on coral reefs where they feed on small marine animals that get caught on their sticky tongue. They can live for centuries and can grow quite large; large enough even to devour human sized beings. Since man-eating clams can’t move around they have developed an interesting way of luring creatures to their doom. They grow a tremendously large pearl attached to a sticky tongue like muscle. This pearl catches light, reflecting it. It acts like a lure many fishermen use to catch fish. When something tries to take the pearl or touches the beasts tongue the clam slams its mouth closed and starts to devour its meal.
The Giant sized one’s usually feed on greedy Sahuagin or unwary adventurers. Sea elves and merfolk usually teach their children to stay away from them.
-- The almanac of the sea
Giant Man-Eating Clam
Large animal (aquatic)
HD: 4d8+3 (39 average)
Initiative: -5
Speed: 0 (immobile)
Armor class: +4 (10, -5 dex, –1 size,)
Base attack/grapple: +3/+12( 3 base,+5 str,+4 size)
Attacks: Slam +7, 1d6+5; bite +7, 1d8+5
Full attack: +7 (1d6+5 tentacle) or +12 grapple
Space/reach: 10/5
Special attacks: improved grab, swallow whole
Special qualities: tremorsense, charming effect, adhesive, damage reduction
Saves: fortitude +9, reflex -1, will -3
Abilities: str20, dex 0, con 20, int 2, wis 3, cha,6
Skills: survival +4,
Feats:toughness
Environment: warm aquatic
Challenge rating: 5
Treasure: 1 silver pearl worth an average of 1000 gold. There is a 25% chance to find a black pearl worth an average of 5000 gold.
Advancement: none
Level adjustment: --
Special attacks and qualities
Damage reduction 5/-
The Giant Man Eating Clam's shell is tough and hardend to ignore damage from most weapons and natural attacks.
Tremorsense
These creatures have no conventional senses. They rely on their sensitive tongue to sense prey.
Charming pearl (Ex):
Any creature that sees the Giant man-eating clam’s large pearl must succeed a DC 10 will saving throw or be compelled to approach the creature, any creature with the aquatic sub type automatically takes a –2 to their saving throws. As the subject approaches the clam it may make a DC 10 saving throw each round to break free of the effect. Once the target is in the clam’s square it must succeed a DC 20 will save or be compelled to swim into the creature’s open mouth and attempt to grapple the clam’s pearl.
The Clam can only use this ability when its mouth is open. When the clam’s mouth is closed any creature that was under this effect becomes released from it.
A clam that has lost it's peal also looses this ability. a new pearl grows back in 1d4 years.
Adhesive
The Giant man eating clam has a tongue like muscle that can excrete a sticky substance similar to sovereign glue, yet not as powerful. When a creature comes into contact with its tongue it become stuck to the tongue. To break free the creature must succeed a DC 25 strength check. If a creature breaks free of the adhesive then the clam cannot produce more adhesive for 1d4 rounds.
Improved Grapple:
Once a clam has a creature stuck to it’s tongue or grapples the pearl, it attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. No initial touch attack is required. Improved grab works only against opponents at least one size category smaller than the creature. The Clam has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use the part of its body it used in the improved grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a -20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself; the creature does not lose its Dexterity bonus to AC, still threatens an area, and can use its other remaining attacks against other opponents. A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless the creature also has the constrict special attack. If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, it deals constriction damage as well (the amount is given in the creature’s descriptive text). When a creature gets a hold after an improved grab attack, it pulls the opponent into its space. This act does not provoke attacks of opportunity. It can even move (possibly carrying away the opponent), provided it can drag the opponent’s weight.
Swallow whole:
Once the Clam has grappled a creature it attempts to swallow the creature, digesting it. A clam can only swallow a creature that is at lease one size category smaller than it is.
A swallowed creature is considered to be grappled, while the creature that did the swallowing is not. A swallowed creature can try to cut its way free with any light, piercing weapon or it can just try to escape the grapple. The Armor Class of the interior of a creature that swallows whole is normally 10 + ½ its natural armor bonus, with no modifiers for size or Dexterity. A creature caught inside the clam’s mouth may attempt to pry its way free. This requires a tool of some kind (prybar, or instance) and a dc 25 strength check.
Once swallowed the clam floods its mouth cavity with an acid like substance. The following round any creature inside takes 1d6 initial points of acid damage plus another 1d6 points of acid damage each round it is caught in the Clam’s mouth. After its meal is completely dissolved by the acid it absorbs the remains and then 1d4 round after absorbing its meal it opens its mouth back up and waits for more prey, leaving no remains in its mouth.
Combat:
Typically the Giant man eating clam uses its charming effect to lure prey into its mouth. Once the creature touches its tongue or makes a grapple against its pearl, the clam attacks with its improved grab and swallow whole special attacks. If threatened a clam can also use its tongue to as a weapon, dealing bludgeoning damage. It cannot us its tongue as a weapon if it has it’s mouth closed or it has caught a creature in its mouth.
These clams cannot move about and are quite easy to hit however they have a heavily armored shell for protection. Creatures may attack the clam’s tongue, which has an AC of 5 and counts for 1/3 of the creature’s total hit points.
A Giant Man eating Clam is always proficient with all of its attacks.
Giant Man-Eating Clam
The giant man eating clam is a strange creature of the seas. These clams grow on coral reefs where they feed on small marine animals that get caught on their sticky tongue. They can live for centuries and can grow quite large; large enough even to devour human sized beings. Since man-eating clams can’t move around they have developed an interesting way of luring creatures to their doom. They grow a tremendously large pearl attached to a sticky tongue like muscle. This pearl catches light, reflecting it. It acts like a lure many fishermen use to catch fish. When something tries to take the pearl or touches the beasts tongue the clam slams its mouth closed and starts to devour its meal.
The Giant sized one’s usually feed on greedy Sahuagin or unwary adventurers. Sea elves and merfolk usually teach their children to stay away from them.
-- The almanac of the sea
Giant Man-Eating Clam
Large animal (aquatic)
HD: 4d8+3 (39 average)
Initiative: -5
Speed: 0 (immobile)
Armor class: +4 (10, -5 dex, –1 size,)
Base attack/grapple: +3/+12( 3 base,+5 str,+4 size)
Attacks: Slam +7, 1d6+5; bite +7, 1d8+5
Full attack: +7 (1d6+5 tentacle) or +12 grapple
Space/reach: 10/5
Special attacks: improved grab, swallow whole
Special qualities: tremorsense, charming effect, adhesive, damage reduction
Saves: fortitude +9, reflex -1, will -3
Abilities: str20, dex 0, con 20, int 2, wis 3, cha,6
Skills: survival +4,
Feats:toughness
Environment: warm aquatic
Challenge rating: 5
Treasure: 1 silver pearl worth an average of 1000 gold. There is a 25% chance to find a black pearl worth an average of 5000 gold.
Advancement: none
Level adjustment: --
Special attacks and qualities
Damage reduction 5/-
The Giant Man Eating Clam's shell is tough and hardend to ignore damage from most weapons and natural attacks.
Tremorsense
These creatures have no conventional senses. They rely on their sensitive tongue to sense prey.
Charming pearl (Ex):
Any creature that sees the Giant man-eating clam’s large pearl must succeed a DC 10 will saving throw or be compelled to approach the creature, any creature with the aquatic sub type automatically takes a –2 to their saving throws. As the subject approaches the clam it may make a DC 10 saving throw each round to break free of the effect. Once the target is in the clam’s square it must succeed a DC 20 will save or be compelled to swim into the creature’s open mouth and attempt to grapple the clam’s pearl.
The Clam can only use this ability when its mouth is open. When the clam’s mouth is closed any creature that was under this effect becomes released from it.
A clam that has lost it's peal also looses this ability. a new pearl grows back in 1d4 years.
Adhesive
The Giant man eating clam has a tongue like muscle that can excrete a sticky substance similar to sovereign glue, yet not as powerful. When a creature comes into contact with its tongue it become stuck to the tongue. To break free the creature must succeed a DC 25 strength check. If a creature breaks free of the adhesive then the clam cannot produce more adhesive for 1d4 rounds.
Improved Grapple:
Once a clam has a creature stuck to it’s tongue or grapples the pearl, it attempts to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. No initial touch attack is required. Improved grab works only against opponents at least one size category smaller than the creature. The Clam has the option to conduct the grapple normally, or simply use the part of its body it used in the improved grab to hold the opponent. If it chooses to do the latter, it takes a -20 penalty on grapple checks, but is not considered grappled itself; the creature does not lose its Dexterity bonus to AC, still threatens an area, and can use its other remaining attacks against other opponents. A successful hold does not deal any extra damage unless the creature also has the constrict special attack. If the creature does not constrict, each successful grapple check it makes during successive rounds automatically deals the damage indicated for the attack that established the hold. Otherwise, it deals constriction damage as well (the amount is given in the creature’s descriptive text). When a creature gets a hold after an improved grab attack, it pulls the opponent into its space. This act does not provoke attacks of opportunity. It can even move (possibly carrying away the opponent), provided it can drag the opponent’s weight.
Swallow whole:
Once the Clam has grappled a creature it attempts to swallow the creature, digesting it. A clam can only swallow a creature that is at lease one size category smaller than it is.
A swallowed creature is considered to be grappled, while the creature that did the swallowing is not. A swallowed creature can try to cut its way free with any light, piercing weapon or it can just try to escape the grapple. The Armor Class of the interior of a creature that swallows whole is normally 10 + ½ its natural armor bonus, with no modifiers for size or Dexterity. A creature caught inside the clam’s mouth may attempt to pry its way free. This requires a tool of some kind (prybar, or instance) and a dc 25 strength check.
Once swallowed the clam floods its mouth cavity with an acid like substance. The following round any creature inside takes 1d6 initial points of acid damage plus another 1d6 points of acid damage each round it is caught in the Clam’s mouth. After its meal is completely dissolved by the acid it absorbs the remains and then 1d4 round after absorbing its meal it opens its mouth back up and waits for more prey, leaving no remains in its mouth.
Combat:
Typically the Giant man eating clam uses its charming effect to lure prey into its mouth. Once the creature touches its tongue or makes a grapple against its pearl, the clam attacks with its improved grab and swallow whole special attacks. If threatened a clam can also use its tongue to as a weapon, dealing bludgeoning damage. It cannot us its tongue as a weapon if it has it’s mouth closed or it has caught a creature in its mouth.
These clams cannot move about and are quite easy to hit however they have a heavily armored shell for protection. Creatures may attack the clam’s tongue, which has an AC of 5 and counts for 1/3 of the creature’s total hit points.
A Giant Man eating Clam is always proficient with all of its attacks.