I Need A Creature That Drowns People...

[Palanan]

I have a session starting in a couple of hours, and I need some sort of creature that lives underwater and drowns the unwary.

Open to any kind of suggestions, but the party will be second level, so a lower-level monster would be better. Anything from official 3.5 or Pathfinder sources is on the table.

[Razade]

There's an Undead called The Drowned...I believe in the Libris Mortis. Or maybe it was in the Monster Manual Two. Either way, it's perfect. Can even drown on land. It is....CR8 I believe however.

[Palanan]

Thanks for the suggestion--looks like this is in MM 3.

CR 8 is definitely too high for this group, and the aura isn't quite what I was looking for. I'm thinking more along the lines of a creature that lurks in deep pools and reaches out to drag people under.

.

[Malimar]

That Damn Crab (http://archive.wizards.com/default.asp?x=dnd/fw/20040221a) is only CR3.


...Do not actually use That Damn Crab on a level 2 party.

More seriously, a weaker version was reprinted in Stormwrack at a more accurate CR4, which might be a semi-reasonable boss fight at level 2.

[Vizzerdrix]

Maybe a kappa from oriental adventures, or you can reskin an assassin vine as an aquatic plant thingy.

[Palanan]

The kappa is perfect for what I need, and there's even an updated version in Bestiary 3. Very much appreciated.

One question on the kappa's Grab ability from Bestiary 3: does this require both claws to hit, or just one?

[Sian]

Nereid from Stromwrack would make another reasonable choice (if prehaps a bit high at CR4) a fey with a touch-attack that forces the target to save against drowning as if they've stayed underwater long enough to be unable to hold their breath ... although it should be fairly easy to ad-hoc lower the CR by removing their Displacement

[Palanan]

Thanks, but the kappa works perfectly for what I have in mind, which is physically grabbing someone and pulling them under.

So, for anyone who knows the Pathfinder Grab ability, can the kappa do this with a single claw attack?

[Malimar]

So, for anyone who knows the Pathfinder Grab ability, can the kappa do this with a single claw attack?

Grab (http://www.d20pfsrd.com/bestiary/rules-for-monsters/universal-monster-rules/#TOC-Grab-Ex-) works with each individual attack that hits.

[finaldooms]

Im not sure about pathfinder...but it normally says in the description of the ability if it needs 1 or both ..for 3.5 at least >> sorry im not more help

[jmax]

There are a few easy options I can think of right away, plus some interesting ones that would require you to do some statting.

Easiest is to re-fluff a nixie. If you've read Three Hearts and Three Lions, the nixie in that has a very different personality from how they're portrayed in 3.5. Change to medium size and make her spiteful and hostile to any that spurn her - or that she finds ugly or annoying or otherwise distasteful for whatever reason. She can give them water breathing and then revoke it at her leisure.

Merfolk would work well. Even just regular mermaids and mermen can be mischievous.

If you want something more interesting, check out the Wikipedia for Jenny Greenteeth (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jenny_Greenteeth). Again, a medium-size nixie would work well. Maybe bump the strength.

If you want a more gentle drowning effect, sirens a la Greek mythology could lure people into the water, potentially causing them to drown on their own.