Songbird race! (And other stuff.)

[Metastachydium]

It should be noted that Constrict is not necessary for a creature with Improved Grab to dish out damage:

…
And I somehow didn't know that. Thanks!

[Debihuman]

Creeping horse

Mostly I love this critter. However, I have a little gripe about the drop down ability of the creeping horse.


Normally a Large creature falling on you causes 4d6 points of damage. Giving them double the amount damage makes sense only if they are incredibly dense as this is what a Gargantuan object would do. Nowhere do you mention the weight of this creature or explain why it does double the amount of damage.

Furthermore, a creature falling on somebody takes the same amount of damage (8d6 could potentially kill the creeping horse even without considering the falling damage) as it takes that damage too per Core Rules. It has only 30 hit points and could conceivably take 48 points of damage. I'm not a fan of those odds.

I like that their blubbery body gives them extra protection from falling damage but not a fan that their blubbery body causes so much extra damage to opponents they land on. You'd think having something squishy land on you would cause less damage rather than more damage. That said, it could just use a little tweaking

Drop Down (Ex): A creeping horse clinging to the ceiling of an enclosed space can drop down on foes below itself as a move action. When it hits the ground (taking falling damage, but treating the fall 40 feet shorter than it was) it covers a 10-foot by 10-foot area immediately underneath its previous position. Due to its blubbery body, a creeping horse only takes 4d6 points of damage when it lands on a creature beneath it in addition to treating its fall as 40 feet shorter. However, opponents caught under its enormously heavy, blubbery body take 8d6 points of damage plus another 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per each 10 feet the body of the horse traverses, to a maximum of 20d6, unless they succeed on a DC 15 Reflex save, which halves the damage. The save DC is Strength-based.

Just giving my 2 cent opinion on this.

Debby

[Metastachydium]

Mostly I love this critter.

Very much appreciated!

However, I have a little gripe about the drop down ability of the creeping horse.

Normally a Large creature falling on you causes 4d6 points of damage. Giving them double the amount damage makes sense only if they are incredibly dense as this is what a Gargantuan object would do. Nowhere do you mention the weight of this creature or explain why it does double the amount of damage.

(…)

I like that their blubbery body gives them extra protection from falling damage but not a fan that their blubbery body causes so much extra damage to opponents they land on. You'd think having something squishy land on you would cause less damage rather than more damage. That said, it could just use a little tweaking.

An eminently fair concern, of course! The rationale was that they are really, really fat (hence high damage), but it's all nonlethal because they are also very squishy.

Furthermore, a creature falling on somebody takes the same amount of damage (8d6 could potentially kill the creeping horse even without considering the falling damage) as it takes that damage too per Core Rules. It has only 30 hit points and could conceivably take 48 points of damage. I'm not a fan of those odds.

Oh no. I forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder. Would capping it at half base damage as you did (4d6), but making that also nonlethal and allowing a Fort save for half to the horse solve that? That way, if it's not already hurt, the thing couldn't even knock itself unconscious by accident (but still wouldn't get a free pass to just drop at people like that wan't rude).

[Debihuman]

Oh no. I forgot about that. Thanks for the reminder. Would capping it at half base damage as you did (4d6), but making that also nonlethal and allowing a Fort save for half to the horse solve that? That way, if it's not already hurt, the thing couldn't even knock itself unconscious by accident (but still wouldn't get a free pass to just drop at people like that wan't rude).

Capping the base damage makes sense. I'm still leery of allowing something that heavy to cause solely non-lethal damage. It doesn't fit the rules well. Falling damage is dependent on how far you fall. Most creatures can ignore the first 10 feet, but this ignores the first 40 feet. That's already a bonus. I'd say let the falling damage be 4d6 (and it ignores the first 40 feet so unless it falls off a very high cliff it should be okay)

It would make sense to be all non-lethal if it were spongy (and weighed a lot less).

This could also use better description.

[Metastachydium]

Capping the base damage makes sense. I'm still leery of allowing something that heavy to cause solely non-lethal damage. It doesn't fit the rules well. Falling damage is dependent on how far you fall. Most creatures can ignore the first 10 feet, but this ignores the first 40 feet. That's already a bonus. I'd say let the falling damage be 4d6 (and it ignores the first 40 feet so unless it falls off a very high cliff it should be okay)

It would make sense to be all non-lethal if it were spongy (and weighed a lot less).

This could also use better description.

I mean, these things just wouldn't make a lick of sense as suicide bombers that actively risk death ao that they can squash things to death. And Crush attacks provide a precedent for deliberately falling on an opponent to cause damage without taking the same, so I don't feel like the horse mitigating damage to itself (through Innate Cushioning Abilities and technique) is really absurd rules-wise.

At any rate, many thanks once more! I'll insert in the cap on damage suffered and will try to think up a way to tweak the description.

EDIT: Okay, I took a shot at that:

Combat
Creeping horses dread combat and do not engage in it they can avoid doing so. Should they feel an intruder or group of such intruders threatens the caves they dwell in, they will attempt to separate and ambush them one at a time, creeping up and dropping on them from above. The latter attack is generally described as a strange sensation, as though a giant pillow, its fluid weight shifting and bouncing up and down had buried its target underneath itself.

(…)

Drop Down (Ex)
A creeping horse clinging to the ceiling of an enclosed space can drop down on foes below itself as a move action. When it hits the ground (taking falling damage, but treating the fall 40 feet shorter than it was) it covers the 10 feet by ten feet area immediately underneath its previous position. Opponents caught under its soft, blubbery body take 8d6 plus another 1d6 points of nonlethal damage per each 10 feet the body of the horse traverses, unless they succeed on a DC 15 Reflex save, which halves the damage. Furthermore, its odd body cushions the creeping horse's own landing: it never takes more than 4d6 points of damage from landing on an opponent, and it can attempt a DC 15 Fortitude save itself to render half that damage nonlethal. The save DCs are Strength-based.

So, it's very soft and its shifting mass hammers the opponent hit repeatedly, some of it happenin after the horse already landed. I also kind of like how in this version, it can only really hurt itself, though not hard. How's this sound?

[Metastachydium]

Anyone remember my whatevertaur rant? [Crickets.] …that's okay, I expected that much. Anyhow, somebody who's been first mentioned back there's finally going to rear their hairy head in here! And that somebody, of course, is the

Onocentaur
A cousin of the forest-dwelling centaurs (loathe as they might be to acknowledge such a kinship), the onocentaur, for its part, roams the high paths of the rugged hills – and it is a creature just as rugged itself, and sturdy as well, if ungainly in appearance. Unlike the hippocentaur, the onocentaur only possesses four limbs: two strong legs, like those of a wild ass, and two long, thick arms, the back of the three-fingered hands covered in a veritable gauntlet of tough horn. The equine belly of its lower half, therefore, gives way directly to a torso much like a broad human's or dwarf's, making the onocentaur's posture hunched and awkward. Its ears are large and its hair coarse and abundant.

Strange as they may look to the eyes of the more common two-legs, onocentaurs are nevertheless certainly not clumsy or anything to laugh off. This hardy, obstinate folk knows the roads it travels well and knows how to fight if made to, with a stubborn determination. Hence, onocentaurs often sell their services to people of the road, as caravan guards and porters, their skill and strong back making them well suited for both tasks. Otherwise they only associate with gray orcs (or "horse orcs", as they call them) with any frequency, seeing in their maned, swift-legged kin more of a brother than in the forest centaur.

Onocentaurs speak Sylvan and Orc.

Size/Type: Large Monstrous Humanoid
Hit Dice: 2d8+4 (13 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 30 feet (6 squares)(but see text)
Armor Class: 10 (-1 size, +1 Dex), touch 10, flat-footed 9
Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+9
Attack: Heavy mace +4 melee (2d6+4) or kick +4 melee (1d6+3)
Full Attack: Heavy mace +5 melee (2d6+4) and kick +0 melee (1d6+1) or kickback +5 melee (2d6+6 and special (see below))
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft. (5 ft. with kick)
Special Attacks: Kickback
Special Qualities: All fours, darkvision 60 ft., low-light vision
Saves: Fort +4, Ref +3, Will +1
Abilities: Str 16, Dex 12, Con 15, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 8
Skills: Listen +5, Survival +5
Feats: Endurance^B, Great Fortitude
Environment: Cold hills
Organization: Solitary or herd (4–15)
Challenge Rating: 1
Alignment: Usually lawful neutral
Advancement: By character class
Level Adjustment: +2

Combat
Onocentaurs do not seek out fights. They see combat as a dire neccessity of life, be it joined in self-defense or in service to another. When caught up in one regardless, they resort to weapons first, and keep their kicks as a surprise for those who can and dare dance past their swinging arms and bludgeons.

All Fours (Ex)
The awkward shape of an onocentaur's body didn't develop as it did for no reason. When precision or the ease of handling tools matters less than raw speed and stability, onocentaurs can ball up their fists and descend on all fours, the sturdy platelets of horn on their knuckles turning into a second set of hooves. Doing so increases the onoventaur's base land speed by 10 feet, and it is thereafter treated as a quadruped for the purpose of opposed Strength checks and carrying capacity until such time as it rises onto its hind legs again.

Kickback (Ex)
When engaged in combat, an onocentaur can turn around and, as a full-round action, use its hooved legs to make a powerful double kick against an adjacent opponent. If the kick lands, it deals bludgeoning damage equal to 2d6 points plus twice the Strength modifier of the onocentaur and its opponent must succed on a DC 14 Fortitude save or be knocked back 10 feet and fall prone. The save DC is Strength-based.

[Metastachydium]

And here's something simple and winter-themed for the winter. Sooner than later, we should be back to Elementals (I have three of those developing in the woodwork). Maybe throw in something feathery too. Until then, though,

Scarlet Beetle
Their oblong, angular body impossibly flat, scarlet beetles scamper across highland forest floors on six stubby legs. Their rectangualr head sits on a short, slender neck and they sport curious, bulbous outgrowths behind their rotund compound eyes. What earned them their name is the bright red colour of their wing-cases; beneath these, vestigial wings are hidden that do not offer the benefit of true flight.

Despite what their bright visage could lead some to believe, they are hardly ill-adapted to the climate of the lands they inhabit. Few winters are cold enough to pose a threat to them and, in fact, they resist low temperatures with such ease that they will sometimes opportunistically prey even on silver and white wyrmlings if they manage to catch the young dragons by surprise through shrigging off their cold breaths.

Size/Type: Small Vermin
Hit Dice: 2d8+6 (15 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 30 feet (6 squares), climb 30 feet
Armor Class: 14 (+1 size, +2 Dex, +1 natural), touch 13, flat-footed 12
Base Attack/Grapple: +1/-4
Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6)
Full Attack: Bite +4 melee (1d6)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: –
Special Qualities: Crackwalker, darkvision 60 ft., resistence to cold 15, vermin traits
Saves: Fort +6, Ref +2, Will +2
Abilities: Str 10, Dex 15, Con 16, Int –, Wis 15, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +10, Hide +2
Feats: Weapon Finesse^B
Environment: Cold forests
Organization: Solitary or gathering (5–45)
Challenge Rating: 1
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 3–5 HD (Small)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Though not particularly cunning tacticians, scarlet beetles understand at an instinctive level the advantages of their ability to slip through cracks and they often burst forth to attack from these, retreating into them as needed. A gathering of beetles fights without coordination, but they never attack each other, unless they are starving and desperate.

Crackwalker (Ex)
Scarlet beetles descend from minuscule, innocuous insects that dwell under the decaying bark of dead trees. While far too sizeable to do so anymore, the beetles retain the long, flat, narrow bodies of these ancestors and can squeeze through tight spaces as though they were one size smaller.

Skills
Scarlet beetles receive a +8 racial bonus to Climb checks, and they can always take 10 on such checks, even when distracted or threatened. They may add their Strength or Dexterity modifier to Climb checks, whichever is higher. Due to their vibrant coloration, scarlet beetles have a -4 racial penalty on Hide checks.

[Beni-Kujaku]

Onocentaur

Nice simple creature. You should probably add Kickback to the Attack line rather than explicitating "with its full attack bonus". I'm wondering if the Onocentaur wouldn't be more related to satyrs rather than hippocentaurs. They're four-legged creatures with human top and animal bottom, with hands even resembling that of equinals (but without the celestial origin). I agree that all centaurs variations are based on the word centaur and not on any subdivision of it, and thus that "tauric" and "dracotaur" make little sense. Maybe in Faerun "cen-" does mean "horse" and "taur" means something like "chimera", but I'm really grasping at straws here.

Scarlet Beetle

I wonder how they can beat wyrmlings. Even being immune to their breath weapon, they have no way to prevent the dragon from flying away and don't seem organized enough to jump them efficiently. I'd have liked to see them dispersing special pheromones on their prey or just before attacking that would attract any Scarlet Beetle around for a good ambush.

[Metastachydium]

Nice simple creature. You should probably add Kickback to the Attack line rather than explicitating "with its full attack bonus".

Fair. Will do that, thanks.

I'm wondering if the Onocentaur wouldn't be more related to satyrs rather than hippocentaurs. They're four-legged creatures with human top and animal bottom,

Bestiaries and such peg them as related to the Hippo- and Ichthyocentaurs, and they really are all but quadrupedal. Fey doesn't strike me as a very fitting type either.

with hands even resembling that of equinals

Wait, those forelimbs are prehensile?!

Maybe in Faerun "cen-" does mean "horse" and "taur" means something like "chimera", but I'm really grasping at straws here.

Now I'm imagining a Chimaera, but all three heads are horse heads.

I wonder how they can beat wyrmlings. Even being immune to their breath weapon, they have no way to prevent the dragon from flying away and don't seem organized enough to jump them efficiently. I'd have liked to see them dispersing special pheromones on their prey or just before attacking that would attract any Scarlet Beetle around for a good ambush.

I figured "tight spaces, numbers and the Dragon missing a beat when they don't just die as a normal bug should", and it only happens when there's really a lot of them already about. Also, I thought that an Adult Silver starting to freak out and stomp-stomp when it sees bugs is funny. I'll think about it, though.

[Tzardok]

Wait, those forelimbs are prehensile?!

Yup. Take a look at Vhara's picture:

She can hold that staff/spear thingy well enough to attack with it.

[Metastachydium]

Well, at any rate, thank you for ensuring I'll never sleep well again. But at least the artist signed it, so I can make them pay.

[Metastachydium]

And I knew I was forgetting something! Namely, this thing:

Kurgash
The deceptively ponderous, clumsy body of a kurgash can easily reach a height of 9 feet. It is not unlike a common golen in terms of shape: a crudely carved statue of a featureless giant, with a gash for a mouth and seemingly empty, lifeless eye sockets, all made of dull, weighty metal. Its torso commonly carved with somewhat angular alchemical symbols. But it is no construct, despite all appearances – albeit given its predilections, this elemental being might be tempted to try and build one…

Kurgashes speak Terran, but they are terse and seem to consider each word very carefully before uttering it. Most also know Draconic and Undercommon.

Size/Type: Large Elemental [Earth]
Hit Dice: 9d8+45 (85 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (-1 size, -1 Dex, +11 natural), touch 8, flat-footed 19
Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+15
Attack: Slam +10 melee (2d6+5) or flask of acid +10 ranged (1d6 acid)
Full Attack: 2 slams +10 melee (2d6+5) or flask of acid +10/+5 ranged (1d6 acid)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: –
Special Qualities: Base metal, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, superior nondetection, vulnerability to fire
Saves: Fort +11, Ref +2, Will +5
Abilities: Str 21, Dex 8, Con 21, Int 14, Wis 11, Cha 10
Skills: Appraise +10, Climb +12, Concentartion +14, Craft (alchemy) +17, Knowledge (arcana) +14
Feats: Brutal Throw, Iron Will, Power Attack, Skill Focus (Craft (alchemy))
Environment: Elemental Plane of Earth
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 6
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 10–15 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Kurgashes do not relish combat. Their heavy fists serve them well as weapons, and they usually carry numerous alchemical objects to aid them in a fight, nevertheless.

Base Metal (Su)
Kurgashes have an uncanny affinity for alchemy, and the matter their forms are composed of is an excellent substitute for most alchemical ingredients. Kurgashes can use the Craft (alchemy) skill despite usually having no access to spells, and can always take 10 on such skill checks. If a kurgash willinglu takes 2d4 points of damage when attempting a Craft (alchemy) check, it need not pay the normal cost of materials used either.

Superior Nondetection (Ex)
A kurgash is effectively invisible to magic from the school of Divination. When such a spell or effect is used against a kurgash, to locate, observe or even contact a kurgash, it simply appears to fail. If the spell or effect has multiple targets or affects an area, other targets, respectively creatures and objects present in said area are affected normally.

Skills
A kurgash receives a -4 racial penalty on Jump and Swim checks.

[Tzardok]

A weird thing. I wonder what kind of metal this one is based on.

By the way, I meant to ask you if you could make an index for this thread?

[Metastachydium]

A weird thing. I wonder what kind of metal this one is based on.

Gimme your best guess!

By the way, I meant to ask you if you could make an index for this thread?

In actual fact, it already happens to have an index, it's just in my signature that I happen not to keep in my signature. (And I also really need to update it, now that you mention that.)

[Tzardok]

Ah, thank you.

The only thing I can imagine is lead, based on the alchemy association and the description as dull and weighty.

[Metastachydium]

Ah, thank you.

I love being counterintuitive! (Do you think I should add the link to the first post?)

The only thing I can imagine is lead, based on the alchemy association and the description as dull and weighty.

Aand… YOU WIN! I took "alchemist transmute it into stuff" and "blocks Divination magic" and ran with it. Next two (whenever that'll be) shall have more to do with actual chemical properties.

[Tzardok]

Maybe. Or maybe put it into your actual signature (or did you already do so? It may be a problem on my end, but I can't see you having one).

[Metastachydium]

Maybe. Or maybe put it into your actual signature (or did you already do so? It may be a problem on my end, but I can't see you having one).

I don't really have an actual signature, to be honest (so if you don't see it, that's probably the reason why) and I'd rather keep it that way because I'm weird like that. So… OPost it is.

♣

Meanwhile, I'm pretty sure I have someone feathery waiting to happen back before the holidays. Have an INCARNUM DINOSAUR, everyone!

Dinogir
Dinogirs are massive bipeds, vaguely avian and vaguely reptilian at the same time. Easily 40 feet long and almost half as tall when fully grown, they walk hunched forward, their backs sporting prominent, awkward humps. Their arms seem almost too long even for something of their size and end in three thick, gently curving claws, forming a hand that is prehensile, albeit quite clumsy. Their entire bodies are covered by a mottled, green and brown plummage; the feathers grow the longest on the forelimbs and the sturdy, but likewise long tail, especially around its tip, where they compose a fan of sorts. Their elongated skulls end in flat, hard beaks.

The average dinogir is used to be being mistaken for a dumb beast – by any that manages to observe it. Rather than making their peace with this predicament, however, dinogirs prefer to blend into the greens and shadows of their forest home and make sure any save for the scaly and feathery folk they have an easier time building a rapport with doesn't get around to intrude or linger about for long.

Dinogirs speak Draconic and Sylvan, in addition to using a sign language of their own.

Size/Type: Huge Magical Beast [Incarnum]
Hit Dice: 10d10+50 (105 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 40 feet (8 squares)
Armor Class: 25 ( -2 size, +3 Dex, +14 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 22
Base Attack/Grapple: +10/+27
Attack: Claw +18 melee (2d8+9)
Full Attack: 2 claws +18 melee (2d8+9) and beak +12 melee (2d4+4)
Space/Reach: 15 ft./15 ft.
Special Attacks: Fell hand
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60', DR 10/magic and slashing, elder camouflage, essentia pool, low-light vision
Saves: Fort +12, Ref +10, Will +8
Abilities: Str 29, Dex 16, Con 21, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 10
Skills: Climb +10, Escape Artist +10, Hide +6, Jump +20, Move Silently +10, Spot +10, Survival +10, Tumble +10
Feats: Improved Essentia Capacity^B, Iron Will, Power Attack, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (claw)
Environment: Temperate and warm forests
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 8
Alignment: Often neutral
Advancement: 11–19 (Huge)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Dinogirs, with few exceptions, strike from ambush, using their uncanny ability to stay hidden from view and their yet more uncanny reach. Their aim, however, tends to be scaring and (most often) wounding opponents for good measure. Though omnivorous and not exactly picky, they rarely kill what they can get to leave.

Elder Camouflage (Su)
Stealth and subterfuge have been a part of dinogir life for centuries or more. When trying to evade notice or the grasp of foes, a dinogir can draw upon this ancestral experience: for every point of essentia invested in this ability, a dinogir receives a +2 circumstance bonus to Escape Artist, Hide, Move Silently and Tumble checks. Further, so long as at least one point of essentia is invested into it, the dinogir can use the Hide skill in any sort of natural terrain, even if the terrain doesn't grant cover or concealment

Essentia Pool (Su)
A dinogir has an essentia pool of 5 and an essentia capacity equal to 5 (or its Constitution modifier, whicever is higher). It typically invests 3 points in the Fell Hand special attack, and 2 points in its Elder Camouflage ability. A dinogir gains 1 additional point of essentia for every 2 Hit Dice above 10.

Fell Hand (Su)
Dinogirs possess a reach that surpasses even what the length of their sinewy arms would suggest – at least should they choose to draw upon the old, strange magic of their ancestors. For every point of essentia invested in this ability, a dinogir's reach increases by 5 feet for the duration of its turn.

Skills
The feathery arms and tail of a dinogir provide a +4 racial bonus to Jump checks.

[Tzardok]

Don't forget that creatures with essentia have the Incarnum subtype.

[Metastachydium]

R-right, I absolutely did forget that. Should work with Incarnum stuff more. Thank you!

[Morphic tide]

Firstly, your wording seems to be based on the race text. Quoting the sample Totem Giant's version of the Essentia Pool feature as an example of how non-player statblocks do it:

Essentia Pool: A totem giant has an essentia pool of 6 (including +2 for the Bonus Essentia feat and +1 for the Cobalt Rage feat) and an essentia capacity of 3 (or 4 for any soulmeld bound to his totem chakra). He typically invests 2 points in his Cobalt Rage feat, 2 points in his frost helm, and 2 points in his great raptor mask.

Secondly, you may want to refer to Soulspark advancement text or the Soulfused Construct template's text for scaling the Essentia in the nine "advancement" levels so that it can supply the increased capacity and maybe some [Incarnum] feats.

Thirdly, the text makes me imagine the "Elders" to be 20 RHD contorted absurdities who develop the anatomy as an advanced age thing rather than mirroring the whole Mishtai mess.

[Metastachydium]

Firstly, your wording seems to be based on the race text. Quoting the sample Totem Giant's version of the Essentia Pool feature as an example of how non-player statblocks do it:

Yep. It's straight from the race one, because that was easier to pull up. Will go fix it, thanks.

Secondly, you may want to refer to Soulspark advancement text or the Soulfused Construct template's text for scaling the Essentia in the nine "advancement" levels so that it can supply the increased capacity and maybe some [Incarnum] feats.

And I actually considered doing that (going 1 point/2 HD as I did implicitly with the current 5), but I was too lazy to check if that's even a thing and how MoI does it. Will put that in there now, though. Thanks again!

Thirdly, the text makes me imagine the "Elders" to be 20 RHD contorted absurdities who develop the anatomy as an advanced age thing rather than mirroring the whole Mishtai mess.

CANON.

[Metastachydium]

I return, with a surprise double update! The first half of it is a little mythical something of myth; I took some liberty with the name, but I can assure you it is at the very least phonetically sound:

Pseusipp
Sages maintain pseusipps used to be true horses once. They retain the shape and size to this day, but their necks bend more flexibly than that of any horse and their teeth are wickedly sharp. They are vicious and predatory and covet human flesh above all else.

Accounts regarding their origins differ; still, all but a few of these posit that they were made as weapons of terror for a cruel ruler of a cold kingdom between mountains oozing gelid fog. Some say it was mortal magic that warped them; others insist they were gifts from a god. Most agree that they slew their erstwhile master – not that it dissuaded others from trying to tap their potential later.

Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 4d8+16 (34 hp)
Initiative: +2
Speed: 50 feet (10 squares)
Armor Class: 19 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +8 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 17
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+11
Attack: Bite +6 melee (2d4+4)
Full Attack: Bite +6 melee (2d4+4) and 2 hooves (1d6+2)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Favoured prey, rending mob
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +4
Abilities: Str 18, Dex 14, Con 18, Int 1, Wis 17, Cha 9
Skills: Listen +6, Spot +7
Feats: Endurance, Run
Environment: Cold plains
Organization: Domesticated
Challenge Rating: 2
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5–7 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Straightforward and forever hungry, pseusipps prefer to simply congregate around one opponent at a time and pull it apart before moving to the next target. They do not flee unless called back by their master.

Favoured Prey (Ex)
Trained to kill and devour humans, pseusipps receive bonuses against such opponents as though they had the Favoured Enemy (Humanoid [Human]) class feature of a 1st level ranger.

Rending Mob (Ex)
Pseusipps are best deployed in groups. When two or more pseusipps hit an opponent with their bite attacks in the same round, each one after the first can forgo its secondary attacks to begin tearing their foe apart. Said opponent suffers 1d8+4 points of additional damage for every pseusipp succesfully mobbing it.

♣

Then we have something… Perhaps slightly on the odd side of things. I would like to dedicate it to the brave people in the RLA thread, currently trying to navigate a sea of bloody golems:

Zhaak
The zhaak. Pillow golems. The children of De 'Rida. All these names cover a single kind of being: a rectangular, soft slab of a creature, covered in a hide with the texture of rough sackcloth shambling about on two thick trunks of legs, its strangely thin but, as a matter of fact, quite strong, flexible, hoselike arms flapping around its body. Its eyes are beady and glossy black; its mouth a wide gash on what would otherwise appear to be its belly. The four oblong protrusions on the corners of its torso are generally understood to aid its hearing; it breathes and picks up smells through its numberless pores.

One of their many monikers is uniquely ironic: pillow golems, as some call them, were in fact born of the meddling of an erratic sorcerer by the name of De 'Rida, designed specifically to counteract and destroy golems, entities De 'Rida saw as elaborate toys hiding an ugly truth of slavery, an image in microcosm of what he perceived society as a whole to be. Much to his chagrin, reportedly, the children turned out quite lawful in their inclinations – but served and still serve their purpose just about fine, nevertheless.

Zhaak speak Common, Terran and Gnome.

Size/Type: Large Aberration
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 (45 hp)
Initiative: +7
Speed: 40 feet (8 squares)
Armor Class: 16 (-1 size, +2 Dex, +5 natural), touch 11, flat-footed 14
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+14
Attack: Maul +9 melee (2d8+9, ×3 plus 2d6 (foehammer))
Full Attack: Maul +9 melee (2d8+9, ×3 plus 2d6 (foehammer))
Space/Reach: 10 ft./10 ft.
Special Attacks: Foehammer
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., immunities
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +4, Will +5
Abilities: Str 22, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 11, Cha 11
Skills: Climb +8, Escape Artist +6, Knowledge (arcana) +6, Listen +5, Spot +5
Feats: Alertness, Improved Initiative, Power Attack
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary or raid (5–12)
Challenge Rating: 3
Alignment: Often lawful neutral
Advancement: 7–11 HD (Large), 12–15 HD (Huge)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Zhaak are very defensive fighters, trying to convince opponents to back off through quick demonstrations of force. Unless, that is, they come face to face with a golem or some other construct: then, their demeanour quickly shifts and they batter and harry their foe until only it or they stand.

Foehammer (Ex)
Their specialized training enables the zhaak to use the foehammer martial maneuver as a crusader of a level equal to the zhaak's number of hit dice.

Immunities (Ex)
Zhaak are immune to cold, electricity and bludgeoninng damage, regardless of its source. They never take damage from a fall, albeit they still need to succeed on the appropriate skill checks to land on their feet after one.

[Tzardok]

I return, with a surprise double update! The first half of it is a little mythical something of myth; I took some liberty with the name, but I can assure you it is at the very least phonetically sound:

Pseusipp
Sages maintain pseusipps used to be true horses once. They retain the shape and size to this day, but their necks bend more flexibly than that of any horse and their teeth are wickedly sharp. They are vicious and predatory and covet human flesh above all else.

Are those the mares of Diomedes? Or are there other famous man-eating horses around?

Zhaak
The zhaak. Pillow golems. The children of De 'Rida. All these names cover a single kind of being: a rectangular, soft slab of a creature, covered in a hide with the texture of rough sackcloth shambling about on two thick trunks of legs, its strangely thin but, as a matter of fact, quite strong, flexible, hoselike arms flapping around its body. Its eyes are beady and glossy black; its mouth a wide gash on what would otherwise appear to be its belly. The four oblong protrusions on the corners of its torso are generally understood to aid its hearing; it breathes and picks up smells through its numberless pores.

Those are W.E.I.R.D.

Immunities (Ex)
Zhaak are immune to cod, electricity and bludgeoninng damage, regardless of its source. They never take damage from a fall, albeit they still need to succeed on the appropriate skill checks to land on their feet after one.

Interesting. Are they immune to other fish as well?

[Metastachydium]

Are those the mares of Diomedes?

Damn right they are!

Those are W.E.I.R.D.

I take pride in my work, even when my work is ambulatory pillows crossed with a dead end in the history of philosophy!

Interesting. Are they immune to other fish as well?

Yes, but only if you slap 'em with that ffffish. Bites and nose-swords might go straight through. (I'll go fix that.)

[Beni-Kujaku]

Zhaak
The zhaak. Pillow golems. The children of De 'Rida.

You know I love monsters with endonyms and exonyms. Especially when the exonym betrays a deep misunderstanding of the nature of the monster, like "pillow golem" does.

I've once seen a homebrew of a "plushie golem". Basically a Tiny golem in the shape of a plushie that could protect its assigned child as a Shield Guardian does. I envision a world where every child has a zhaak as a pillow, a living spell of elation and lullaby as its sheets, a golem as a plushie and a grey render as their imaginary friend. Sadly, the pillow would attack the plushie, the sheets would try to eat the child, and the imaginary friend would tear it apart to teach it a lesson.

Is there supposed to be a limit on how many times it can use Foehammer ? Or does it only work on Constructs maybe? Otherwise, since it only has a single attack per round, there is no reason for it to not use Foehammer every time, and you should probably include it in the Damage line (2d8+9 and Foehammer, x3).

[Metastachydium]

You know I love monsters with endonyms and exonyms. Especially when the exonym betrays a deep misunderstanding of the nature of the monster, like "pillow golem" does.

I say nothing shouts verisimilitude louder than "people are clueless"!

I've once seen a homebrew of a "plushie golem". Basically a Tiny golem in the shape of a plushie that could protect its assigned child as a Shield Guardian does.

I'm not much of a Construct person myself, but that's just too darned CUTE. I approve!

I envision a world where every child has a zhaak as a pillow, a living spell of elation and lullaby as its sheets, a golem as a plushie and a grey render as their imaginary friend. Sadly, the pillow would attack the plushie, the sheets would try to eat the child, and the imaginary friend would tear it apart to teach it a lesson.

Ah, instant childhood traumas for everyone! Sounds like as good an explanation for the prevalence of jaded murderhoboes as any. I approve AGAIN!

Is there supposed to be a limit on how many times it can use Foehammer ? Or does it only work on Constructs maybe? Otherwise, since it only has a single attack per round, there is no reason for it to not use Foehammer every time, and you should probably include it in the Damage line (2d8+9 and Foehammer, x3).

Unless I've been fundamentally misunderstanding how Crusaders work all along, as the only maneuver of the thing, it should just kinda respawn each round. So… Good thinking, thanks!

♣

And while I'm here, I might as well throw in a brand new double update. We'll start with a viral vector, probably brought to you by the same people who thought Owlbears are a good idea, the

Hippotaur
An unlikely being, the hippotaur appears to be a mismatched cross between horse and cattle, with the body, tail and hooves of the former and the head of the latter. Some call them jumarts; others are adamant that jumarts are a different beast, a true hybrid that occurs naturally. Their origin unclear, they are most common in warm lands adjoining regions infested with owlbears.

Size/Type: Large Animal
Hit Dice: 4d8+8 (34 hp)
Initiative: +1
Speed: 50 feet (10 squares)
Armor Class: 13 (-1 size, +1 Dex, +3 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 13
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+10
Attack: Gore +5 melee (1d8+4)
Full Attack: Gore +5 melee (1d8+4)
Space/Reach: 10 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Disease
Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent
Saves: Fort +8, Ref +5, Will +1
Abilities: Str 17, Dex 13, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 10, Cha 7
Skills: Listen +4, Spot +3
Feats: Great Fortitude, Power Attack
Environment: Warm hills
Organization: Solitary or herd (4–17)
Challenge Rating: 2
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 5–7 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Hippotaurs are oddly aggressive, as though bred for it. They charge headlong onto anything large enough to threaten them and fight to the death.

Disease (Ex)
Hippotaurs are among the very few known intermediary host of a minuscule parasite known as the marrow worm. Any hippotaur meat ingested has a 70% chance of containing marrow worm eggs that are very difficult to destroy simply through the application of heat while preparing a meal. Eggs mature in 1d4 days once in a suitable host, which then must succeed on a DC 14 save each day or take 1d4 points of Intelligence and Wisdom damage from marrow rot.

♣

Also, I swear this will be my last kick into whatevertaurs for a while (so don't expect taurocentaurotaurs (a bovine Centaur with the head of a bull!!) to pop up). Still, before we'd get back to periodic Elementals (I have one or two that should be ready to launch come next week), have another weird dinosaur thing:

Sacred Lizard
Rarely more than 6 feet long and 4 feet tall, sacred lizards are cumbersome beings carrying their bulky body, its back domed and covered in a pattern of sturdy scutes on four short legs. Their small, rotund head sits on a similarly short neck. Their tail is somewhat longer, but poorly armoured. Most are a greenish white or light olive in colour.

Natives of Arcadia, sacred lizards see employ, first and foremost, as mediators and messengers dispatched to the mortal realms. Slow, steadfast and of an unending calm, they mostly live to talk and listen, leading a life of contemplation and ambulatory study when burdened with no task.

Sacred lizards seem to have at least a rudimentary understanding of all but secret languages and tend to speak at least three, usually including Celestial and Common.

Size/Type: Medium Magical Beast [Extraplanar]
Hit Dice: 5d10+15 (42 hp)
Initiative: -1
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares)
Armor Class: 21 (-1 Dex, +12 natural), touch 9, flat-footed 21
Base Attack/Grapple: +5/+7
Attack: Tail slap +2 melee (1d4+1^*)
Full Attack: Tail slap +2 melee (1d4+1^*)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Vengeful curse
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., sanctuary
Saves: Fort +5, Ref +3, Will +6
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 9, Con 16, Int 15, Wis 16, Cha 16
Skills: Diplomacy +10, Intimidate +5, Knowledge (local, the planes, religion) +6, Listen +7, Sense Motive +10
Feats: Iron Will, Negotiator
Environment: Any
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 2
Alignment: Always lawful neutral
Advancement: 6–10 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Sacred lizards enjoy a good, hearty dispute and even a heated debate once in a while; more direct violence they are far less equipped for. At most, they will attempt the odd bull rush or overrun, but otherwise they refrain themselves to dispensing dire warnings, promising vaguely hinted at, but terrible consequences to those that would shed their blood. (^*A sacred lizard does not normally use its tail to attack. Its tail slap is treated as a secondary attack and adds only half the sacred lizard’s Strength bonus to damage.)

Sanctuary (Su)
A sacred lizard is constantly warded by an effect identical to that of a sanctuary spell with a save DC equal to 15. A successful save overcomes the effect for 24 hours. While this effect can be dispelled as normal, the sacred lizard can reactivate it once per round as a free action. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Vengeful Curse (Su)
Slaying a sacred lizard is a great sin, for it is an affront to its very masters. Any who wound a sacred lizard during a given encounter the creature perishes in must succeed on a DC 15 Will save or be cursed as though affected by a bestow curse spell. The foe that deals the killing blow receives no save. Only miracle, respectively break enchantment or remove curse cast by a divine spellcaster can undo this effect. The save DC is Charisma-based.

Skills
Sacred lizards recieve a +2 tacial bonus on Diplomacy and Sense Motive checks.

[Bhu]

Why does teh Sacred Lizard have a * after it's damage?

[Metastachydium]

Why does teh Sacred Lizard have a * after it's damage?

Oh, right, thanks! That's the "secondary attacks only" deal that some innocuous Animals and such get, but I forgot to add the actual note.

[Metastachydium]

So, the good(?) news is, it's double update AGAIN! And the other news is, it's more Elementals. First off, meet the squarest of all rainbows, the

Vizemut
A headless, square torso with many-jointed legs and arms, the metallic form of each vizemut sports a peculiar, iridescent sheen. In terms of personality, they are far less colourful, and in fact, are commonly found quite dry and dull. They show a disinterest almost unparalleled even among elementals in the various ongoing affairs of mortals and the planes alike, but will sometimes consort with the rilmani so long as it doesn't take much of an active effort on their part.

The vizemut speak a plain, politely nondescript Terran.

Size/Type: Medium Elemental [Earth]
Hit Dice: 6d8+18 ( hp)
Initiative: +0
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares)
Armor Class: 15 (+5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +4/+6
Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d6+2)
Full Attack: 2 slams +6 melee (1d6+5)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: –
Special Qualities: Collapse, darkvision 60 ft., elemental traits, resistence to electricity and fire 10, unmoved
Saves: Fort +10, Ref +2, Will +6
Abilities: Str 15, Dex 10, Con 16, Int 10, Wis 15, Cha 15
Skills: Diplomacy +10, Listen +6, Sense Motive +10, Spot +6
Feats: Great Fortitude, Iron Will, Negotiator
Environment: Elemental Plane of Earth
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating:
Alignment: Always neutral
Advancement: 10–11 HD (Medium)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
The vizemut are not fighters and do combat cautiously and unenthusiastically. They prefer to talk, and if all else fail, they will sometimes try and goad opponents into using fire on them, so as to have an easier time escaping.

Collapse (Ex)
Each time a vizemut suffers at least 10 points of fire damage, it must succeed on a DC 16 Fortitude save or become Small-sized for 1d4 minutes or until it takes at least 10 points of cold damage.

Unmoved (Su)
Any magical effect that would physically move the vizemut towards its source automatically fails.

♣

…joined by this orange blob that would love tobe square (but is a blob instead), the

Muriyeb
Commonly mistaken for oozes when at rest and not spread thin in water, muriyebs are quivering blobs of orange-brown liquid that will sometimes slip into other realms from the Plane of Water. Muriyebs greatly resent the instability inherent to their bodies, but manny if not most find solace in the strongly held belief that the properly maintained balance of a regimented mind is a greater form of coherence than a constant and unchanging form. They are quite eager to impart that state to others as well, seeing this act as a priceless service rendered.

Muriyebs speak an oddly lapidary form of Aquan.

Size/Type: Medium Elemental [Water]
Hit Dice: 5d8+15 (37 hp)
Initiative: +3
Speed: 20 feet (4 squares), swim 50 feet
Armor Class: 15 (+5 natural), touch 10, flat-footed 15
Base Attack/Grapple: +3/+4
Attack: Slam +6 melee (1d6+1)
Full Attack: 2 slams +6 melee (1d6+1)
Space/Reach: 5 ft./5 ft.
Special Attacks: Calm emotions
Special Qualities: Darkvision 60 ft., DR 4/–, elemental traits, wavehidden
Saves: Fort +7, Ref +4, Will +1
Abilities: Str 12, Dex 16, Con 16, Int 11, Wis 10, Cha 11
Skills: Hide +11, Move Silently +11
Feats: Ability Focus (Calm Emotions), Weapon Finesse
Environment: Elemental Plane of Water
Organization: Solitary
Challenge Rating: 4
Alignment: Usually lawful neutral
Advancement: 6–9 HD (Medium), 10–12 HD (Large)
Level Adjustment: –

Combat
Muriyebs, as a general rule of thumb, don't start fights. They are, nevertheless, quick to join the smallest of scuffles in the hope that they can subdue the combatants and so make a contribution to enforcing an order of sorts. Aware of their limitations, nevertheless, they tend to stick close to bodies of water to have an easy avenue of escape at hand.

Calm Emotions (Ex)
As a standard action, a muriyeb can move into an adjacent opponent's square without provoking an attack of opportunity and briefly envelop its foe before retreating. Such an opponent must succeed on a DC 17 Fortitude save or be calmed for 2d6 rounds as though affected by a calm emotions spell. Aggressive action taken against such a creature doesn't break the effect, nor does it grant a new save. The save DC is Constitution-based.

Wavehidden (EX)
When it enters water, the form of a muriyeb seems to immediately dissolve. Whenever it is submerged in a sufficient amount of water to comfortably accomodate it, a muriyeb can attempt to use the Hide skill even while directly observed and can take 10 on all Hide checks even while distracted or threatened.

♣

Next on the agenda's either some Fey or (finally) a new Deathless, depending on what I get around to finalizing first.