[Creature] Always lands on its feet...

[The Vorpal Tribble]

Claws on the Wall

Large Magical Beast
Hit Dice: 6d10+18 HD (51 hp)
Initiative: +9
Speed: 20 ft. (4 squares), Climb 40 ft.
Armor Class: 18 (+5 dex, +4 natural, -1 size), touch 14, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+14
Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+4)
Full Attack: Bite +10 melee (1d8+4), and 2 claws +5 melee (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft. (10 ft. with bite)
Special Attacks: Dash, improved grab, spittle
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +12, Will +3
Abilities: Str 19, Dex 21, Con 16, Int 3, Wis 12, Cha 8
Skills: Balance +13, Climb +13, *Hide +5, Jump +5, Listen +7, Move Silently +9, Spot +8
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Lightening Reflexes, Weapon Finesse(B)
Environment: Warm Mountains or Underground
Organization: Solitary, pair, or pride (6–10)
Challenge Rating: 5
Treasure: None
Alignment: Usually neutral
Advancement: 7-14 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: -

This creature is a bizarre creature resembling a physically eccentric feline with mottled brown and grey fur with crack-like lines of black. It has the body of a powerful cat, though its legs are short and powerful for its size and ends in gripping claws that resemble a bird of prey's. It possesses two long, prehensile tails on one end and on the other a furry neck with the length and flexibility of a snake. The head is completely leonid, with a shaggy mane, and snout full of tearing fangs.

A claws on the wall is a felinoid creature wholey adapted to a vertical existence along the cliff faces and steep hills. They live upon ledges or caves set alongside the cliff, though generally only to store food or riase their young, otherwise able to cling to the stone even while sleeping. Some claws on the wall that have discovered particularly deep caves with a source of food have become completely subteranean hunters, hanging from celings as well as walls.

A claws on the wall speak their own primitive language. They grow 6 to 10 feet long and weighs 280 to 500 pounds.

Combat
A claws on the wall is only marginally sentient, possessing just enough intelligence to make it dangerously cunning. It will often stalk its prey and then move ahead, coating the area it approaches with its sticky saliva. If its victim sticks it then lunges, tearing at it with tooth or claw. Creatures that threaten the beast get the slippery saliva, as it tries to knock them off the cliff.

Cliffrunner (Ex): This ability works like the spider climb spell, though the claws on the wall may even use the run action while climbing. A claws on the wall, if within reach of a vertical surface, cannot be knocked off even if it would normally be, snatching out with great speed to reaffix itself to the surface.

A claws on the wall may even allow itself to fall to quicken its descent, able to stop and grab the vertical surface at any point of its fall.

Dash (Ex): A claws on the wall that has successfully grappled its opponent, may slam it repeatedly into a nearby surface, dealing an additional 1d6+4 damage in addition to its bite damage. Its opponent must succeed on a DC 17 fortitude save or be Stunned for 1 round. The save DC is Strength-based.

A stunned character can’t act, loses any Dexterity bonus to AC, and takes a –2 penalty to AC. Constructs, oozes, plants, undead, incorporeal creatures, and creatures immune to critical hits cannot be stunned.

Improved Grab (Ex): To use this ability, a claws on the wall must hit with its bite attack. It can then attempt to start a grapple as a free action without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can dash.

Spittle (Ex): Once per round as a standard action a claws on the wall can secrete a number of substances from glands in its mouth that coat a five foot area.

Slick: This substance when soaked into stone or dirt causes it to become as slippery as ice for a number of rounds equal to the claws on the wall's constitution modifier x3. This increases the climb DC of this square by +10.

Stick: This substance, when soaked into stone or dirt causes it to become immensely sticky for a number of rounds equal to the claws on the wall's constitution modifier x3. Anyone who transverses that spot must make a DC 15 Reflex save or be glued to the surface, unable to move. Even on a successful save, the creature can move only at half speed, though the DC to climbing these sections are reduced by +10. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Skills: Claws on the wall have a +4 racial bonus on *Hide and Move Silently checks, and a +8 bonus on climb and balance checks. A claws on the wall can always choose to take 10 on Climb checks, even if rushed or threatened. They use their Dexterity modifier instead of their Strength modifier for Climb and Jump checks.

*In rocky areas, the Hide bonus improves to +12.

[Zeta Kai]

Oooh, fun monster. Good job. I've been looking for an unusual feline encounter, & I that this fits the bill.

Maximum Yoinkage.

P.S.: In the Combat section, you called the Claws-on-the-Wall a Cliffrunner. An alternate name, perhaps?

P.P.S.: the Speed line should read as this: Speed: 20’ (4 squares), Climb 40’ (8 squares)

[DracoDei]

Nice concept, fills a nitch by being something that attacks on a very steep area without flying. I ALMOST object to it having a climb speed greater than its normal speed, but given how specialized this is I can see it.

Hide should have a '*' after the number to refer to the footnote.

I might increase the duration of the sticky saliva... if it is going to get ahead of something WITHOUT BEING SEEN (so as not to scare the prey off) it is going to need to lead further ahead than that.

Also you should probably give Spot DCs to notice the saliva before you enter the area.

[...Eh?]

The base land speed says 20 ft (2 squares). Isn't that four squares?

[The Vorpal Tribble]

P.S.: In the Combat section, you called the Claws-on-the-Wall a Cliffrunner. An alternate name, perhaps?

No, just it has the ability called the cliffrunner run below it and my mind works in mysterious ways...

P.P.S.: the Speed line should read as this: Speed: 20’ (4 squares), Climb 40’ (8 squares)

Yeah, not sure what went on with the base speed. However, climb speeds never list squares for some reason.

I might increase the duration of the sticky saliva... if it is going to get ahead of something WITHOUT BEING SEEN (so as not to scare the prey off) it is going to need to lead further ahead than that.

Thought of that, but then again it sticks at a minimum of 6 rounds and a player that doesn't make the save is going to be stuck for a good while if I make it longer.

Dunno, maybe a minute or so wouldn't be too bad.

Also you should probably give Spot DCs to notice the saliva before you enter the area.

Naw, saliva tends to be clear.

[DracoDei]

Well, it looks drenched instead of moist or dry (unless it has rained recently or is raining currently).Telling it from water is another matter.