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View Full Version : D&D 3.x Other (PEACH) An aquatic kyton called, of course, the Anchorite



OttoVonBigby
2015-10-30, 04:11 PM
I'm sort of going for an "If Ursula from Little Mermaid Was in Hellraiser" kinda thing here (minus her magic). Just whipped this up this afternoon; haven't used it yet, but may use it soon.

Looking for feedback on (1) what would be another good feat or two to give it, (2) whether the CR seems like it'd be 12 or 13 or something else, and (3) if there are any obvious mechanical/math issues. I took the Drag ability from the cave fisher (Dragon #355) and I don't remember what monster I took the Expert Grappler ability from.

This is for a 3.5 setting with lots of PF rules tacked on, in case something looks off about the skills or whatever.

Kyton, anchorite
Huge Outsider (Aquatic, Evil, Extraplanar, Kyton, Lawful)
Hit Dice: 15d10+112 (187 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: Swim 50 ft.
Armor Class: 25 (-2 size, +3 Dex, +14 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +15/+37
Attack: 4 tentacles +23 melee (1d8+10) or chains +17 ranged (3d8)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft. (30 ft. with tentacle, 90 ft. with chains)
Special Attacks: Chains, drag, expert grappler, improved grab, swallow whole, unnerving gaze (30 ft.)
Special Qualities: Damage reduction 10/silver or good, kyton traits, regeneration 5, spell resistance 15
Saves: Fort +16, Ref +11, Will +14
Abilities: Str 31, Dex 17, Con 25, Int 16, Wis 20, Cha 22
Skills: Athletics +23, Bluff +18, Diplomacy +21, Escape Artist +14, Handle Animal +10, Heal +17, Intimidate +29, Knowledge (geography) +11, Knowledge (nature) +11, Knowledge (the planes) +12, Perception +20, Perform (oratory) +11, Search +22, Sense Motive +22, Speak Language +1, Stealth +21, Swim +23
Feats: Ability Focus (unnerving gaze), Improved Grapple, Improved Trip, Multiattack, Weapon Focus (chains)
Environment: Any aquatic
Organization: Solitary or 1 anchorite plus 1-3 giant squids or giant octopi
Challenge Rating: 12? 13?
Treasure: Standard
Alignment: Always lawful evil
Advancement: 16–23 HD (Huge); 24–31 HD (Gargantuan)

Glistening with flesh the color of a drowned corpse, this horrible monstrosity would most closely resemble a pale, bloated octopus if not for its eerily humanlike face and hands. However, each of its four hands boasts haglike claws and twitches at the end of a thick, writhing tentacle. Heavy chains dangle from blue-and-black scars along its upper torso, midway between its broad, gilled neck and its more cephalopoid lower half; each chain is tipped with a wicked and nearly man-sized hook. It speaks in low, exultant gasps and chokes, gruesomely unhinging its wide and malformed jaw.

Called "anchor devils" by the ignorant, anchorites are among the more bizarre kytons. Anchorites are crafted to hunt merfolk and other aquatic beings, to torment surface peoples who make regular use of the sea, and to patrol the waterways of the kyton's shadowy home realms. Cruel and single-minded, anchorites have been known to travel hundreds of miles just to strike terror into individuals who believed they could elude other kytons by taking to the waves. Anchorites enjoy using their chain attack to stop ships and strike fear into their superstitious crews.

A typical anchorite is about 20 feet long and weighs some 15,000 pounds. They speak Common, Aquan, and Infernal. Anchorites on the Material Plane are more likely to be female than male; the reverse is true in the inky waters of the Plane of Shadow. (The two sexes are distinguishable only by the attractive features of the upper half of their oversized faces.) Anchorites are among the kytons least likely to be found in the Abyss, but those that are tend to haunt the River Styx, preferring to target planar travellers from mortal realms.

Combat
Anchorites pursuing a particular quarry try to swallow that quarry, and to dispatch any interfering creatures, as rapidly as possible. An anchorite drawn into unexpected combat is more likely to toy with its prey, employing its chain attack and unnerving gaze. Since they almost always operate alone, anchorites are quick to flee a fight when it turns against them. Rarely, anchorites train tough cephalopods to serve as pets and guardians.

Chains (Ex)
Out of combat, anchorites move about with their chains mostly concealed inside their bodies. An anchorite can extend all of its chains to a length of 90 feet as a standard action (or can extend one chain at a time as part of an attack action). Reeling in a chain is a full-round action.

An anchorite's chain has 30 hit points and hardness 10. It can be attacked by making a successful sunder attempt. Attacking an anchorite's chain does not provoke an attack of opportunity. If the chain is currently attached to a target, the anchorite takes a -4 penalty on its opposed attack roll to resist the sunder attempt. Severing a chain does no damage to an anchorite.

Drag (Ex)
Once an anchorite has hooked a target on one or more chains using its improved grab ability, it attempts to drag the victim closer on its turn. This resembles the bull rush maneuver, except that the anchorite drags its victim 10 feet closer +1 foot for each point by which its Strength check exceeds the victim's (multiply this figure by 2 if more than one chain is attached). If an anchorite draws a target to within 15 feet of itself, it can make two tentacle attacks with a +4 attack bonus in the same round.

Expert Grappler (Ex)
An anchorite can maintain a grapple without penalty and still make attacks against other targets (normally, attacking other targets while grappling imposes a –20 penalty on grapple checks). An anchorite is never considered flat-footed while grappling.

Improved Grab (Ex)
To use this ability, an anchorite must hit with a tentacle or chain attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking attacks of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check with a tentacle, it establishes a hold and can constrict or attempt to swallow it whole. If it wins the grapple check with a chain, it can drag the target.

Swallow Whole (Ex)
An anchorite can try to swallow a grabbed opponent of up to two sizes smaller by making a successful grapple check. The swallowed creature takes 2d8+8 points of nonlethal damage per round while inside an anchorite's crop. A swallowed creature can cut its way out by using a piercing weapon to deal 25 points of damage to the crop (AC 20). Once the creature exits, muscular action closes the hole; another swallowed opponent must cut its own way out.

An anchorite may consciously elect to cease dealing damage to all swallowed creatures as a free action, to fill its crop with water (thereby putting all swallowed creatures at risk of drowning) as a swift action, or to eject all swallowed creatures as a move action. A Huge anchorite's crop can hold 2 Medium, 8 Small, 32 Tiny, or 128 Diminutive or smaller opponents.

Unnerving Gaze (Su)
The Will save DC to resist an anchorite's unnerving gaze is 24. A creature that succumbs to an anchorite's unnerving gaze becomes panicked for for 1d4 rounds. Such a creature aboard a ship will not throw itself overboard in its attempt to escape, but may seize a launch (if available) and row feverishly away. This is a mind-affecting fear effect.

Kyton Traits
Anchorites have darkvision out to 60 feet and are immune to cold. Good weapons, good spells, and silver weapons overcome an anchorite's damage reduction and regeneration.