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Durand 08-16-06, 07:00 PM

This is a batch of animal hybrids made using the amalgam template from Malhavoc's "Year's Best d20." Nothing about the template couldn't be inferred from normal rules mechanics but it's still pretty fun to use. The "goblin tiger" used below was inspired by a drawing by Steve Prescott for white-wolf's "Hengeyoki." Hope someone finds them entertaining or useful: Squadger Medium Animal Hit Dice: 3d8 +6 (19 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 30ft, Swim 60ft, Burrow 10ft AC: 15 (+ 3 Dex, +2 natural) Base Attack/Grapple +2/+6 Attack: Barbed arms +5 (1d3 +1) Full Attack: 2 Barbed arms +5 melee (1d3 +1), 1 bite +0 (1d6 +1) Face/Reach: 5ft/5ft Special Attacks: Improved grab, rage Special Qualities: Ink cloud, jet, low light vision, scent Saves: Fort +5, Ref +6, Will +2 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 16, Con 14, Int 2, Wis 12, Chr 4 Skills: Escape Artist +8, Listen +3, Sneak +5, Swim +9 Feats: Track, Weapon Finesse Climate/Terrain: Temperate swamps Organization: Solitary, pair, or cete (3-5) Challenge Rating: 2 Advancement: 4-6HD, 7-10 (Large) Clearly the product of some magister’s twisted experiments, squadgers horrid blights upon any ecology having the misfortune to host them. As its name implies, these beasts combine the worst features of badger and squid; furry, barbed tentacles project from a skunk-stripped mantle 4 feet long, topped with beady black eyes and fins. In the center of its mass of tentacles is a hairless, eyeless badger head complete with sharp fangs. The animal is equally at home in water or moist earth and reeks of musk and rotting meat. Despite their ferocity in combat, squadgers are passive rather than active hunters, waiting in shallow ponds or muddy burrows for their prey to wander by. Combat Improved Grab (Ex): If a Squadger successfully hits an opponent with its arms, it may attempt to start a grapple without provoking an attack of opportunity. If the grapple check is won, the squadger’s bite damage is dealt automatically. *A squadger receives a +4 racial bonus to its grapple checks. Rage (Ex): A squadger that takes damage in combat flies into a berserk rage on its next turn, flailing and biting madly. It gains a temporary +4 bonus to its Strength and Constitution scores and a -2 to its AC. A squadger reduced to one quarter or less of its normal hit dice as a 50% chance of breaking free from this rage, whereupon they will usually fire their ink cloud and jet to safety. A squadger that does not stop raging will fight until either it or its opponent are dead. Ink Cloud (Ex): Squadgers can release a 10 x 10 x 10 foot cloud of foul smelling, brownish-black ink (or smoke depending if the squadger is on land) once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment for the squadger, which it normally uses as cover for an escape. Jet (Ex): A squadger can jet backward once per round as a full round action. While underwater this allows the creature to move at a speed of 240 feet. On land, the squadger can propel itself 30 feet in the air and up to 300 feet away. A squadger without water, trees, or foliage to break its fall will take falling damage (1d6/10 feet of height) at the end of its leap. A jetting squadger can only move in a straight line backward, but does not provoke attacks of opportunity in the process. Skills: A squadger receives a +4 racial bonus to its Escape Artist skill. Squadgers also receives a bonus +8 to Swim checks. It can always choose to take 10 on a Swim related action and may use a run action while swimming, provided it swims in a straight line. Chiruma Medium Animal Hit Dice: 3d8 +3 (15 hp) Initiative: +3 Speed: 20ft, fly 60ft (good), climb 20ft AC: 14 (+3 Dex, +1 natural) Base Attack/Grapple: +2/+3 Attack: Bite +5 (1d6+1) Full Attack: 1 Bite +5 (1d6+1) and 2 claws +0 (1d3) Face/Reach: 5ft/5ft Special Attacks: Pounce, Improved Grab, Rake (1d3) Special Qualities: Blindsense, low light vision, scent Saves: Fort +4, Ref +6, Will +1 Abilities: Str 13, Dex 17, Con 12, Int 2, Wis 13, Chr 5 Skills: Balance +12, Climb +10, Jump +10, Listen +8, Sneak +8, Spot +8 Feats: Alertness, Weapon Finesse Climate/Terrain: Temperate deserts Organization: Solitary, pair, or pack (6-10) Challenge Rating: 2 Advancement: 4-6 HD, 7-11 (Large) Chiruma are nocturnal flying predators combining features of both mountain lions and bats. A typical member of the species possesses a cat-like face framed in convoluted creases of skin, terminating in large leaf-shaped ears. Chiruma are four legged animals with large membranous wings kept folded when not in flight. Chiruma rarely attack humanoids but have been known to prey on lone travelers, especially if the animals are operating as a pack. Livestock though, are frequent victims of chiruma attacks, forcing shepherds and farmers to shelter their flocks at night. Pounce (Ex): If a chiruma charges or swoops down upon a foe it can still make its full attack including two rake attacks. Improved Grab (Ex): A chiruma that hits with its bite attack may immediately attempt to grapple its opponent as a free action and without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake. Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +5 melee, damage 1d3. Blind-sense (Ex): A chiruma notices and locates creatures within 20 feet. Opponents still have 100% concealment against a creature with blind sense. Skills: Chirumas have a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, and Jump checks. It can always take 10 on a climb check even when rushed or threatened. A night hunter also receives a +4 bonus to Sneak checks. Finally, a night hunter’s superior sense of hearing grants it a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost though if its blindsense is impaired for any reason. Night Hunter (11HD Chimura + MotP shadow creature) Large Magical Beast Hit Dice: 11d10 +33 (88 hp) Initiative: +6 Speed: 30ft, fly 90ft (good), climb 30ft AC: 14 (+2 Dex, +3 natural, -1 size) Base Attack/Grapple: +11/+20 Attack: Bite +17 (1d8+5) Full Attack: 1 Bite +17 (1d8+5) and 2 claws +12 (1d4+2) Face/Reach: 5ftx10ft/10ft Special Attacks: Pounce, Improved Grab, Rake (1d4+2), Blood Drain Special Qualities: Blindsense, cold resistance 16, Darkvision 60ft, low light vision, scent, Shadow Blend, DR 5/+1, Evasion, Regenerates 2hp/round Saves: Fort +10, Ref +9, Will +4 Abilities: Str 21, Dex 15, Con 16, Int 2, Wis 13, Chr 5 Skills: Balance +13, Climb +14, Jump +14, Listen +10, Sneak +16, Spot +10 Feats: Alertness, Flyby Attack, Improved Initiative, Weapon Focus (bite) Climate/Terrain: Any Organization: Solitary or pair Challenge Rating: 8 Advancement: - Night Hunters are fierce vampiric versions of chiruma originating on the plane of shadow. These stealthy beasts are sometimes summoned by evil mages as mounts or agents of assassination. Pounce (Ex): If a night hunter charges or swoops down upon a foe it can still make its full attack including two rake attacks. Improved Grab (Ex): If a night hunter hits with its bite attack, it may immediately attempt to grapple its opponent as a free action and without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it wins the grapple check, it establishes a hold and can rake. Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +17 melee, damage 1d4+2. Blind-sense (Ex): A night hunter notices and locates creatures within 20 feet. Opponents still have 100% concealment against a creature with blind sense. Blood Drain (Ex): A night hunter can suck blood from a successfully grappled victim. If it pins its opponent, it drains blood dealing 1d4 points of constitution damage each round. On each successful drain attack, the night hunter gains 5 temporary hit points. Shadow Blend (Su): In conditions other than full daylight, a night hunter can disappear into the shadows, giving it nine-tenths concealment. Most artificial light sources, even light or fire magics do not negate this ability. A daylight or similar spell, however, will. Skills: Night hunters have a +8 racial bonus on Balance, Climb, and Jump checks. It can always take 10 on a climb check even when rushed or threatened. A night hunter also receives a +10 bonus to Sneak checks. Finally, a night hunter’s superior sense of hearing grants it a +4 racial bonus on Spot and Listen checks. These bonuses are lost though if its blindsense is impaired for any reason. Goblin Tiger Large Magical Beast Hit Dice: 6d10 +18 (48 hp) Initiative: +5 Speed: 40ft, fly 40ft (poor), swim 30ft, climb 20ft AC:15 (+1 dex, -1 size, +5 natural) touch 10, flat footed 15 Base Attack/Grapple: +6/+17 Attack: Claw +12 melee (1d8+6) Full Attack: 2 claws +12 melee (1d8+6), face tentacles +7 melee (0), and bite +7 melee (2d6 +3 plus poison) Face/Reach: 10ft/5ft Special Attacks: Improved Grab, Rake +12 melee (1d8+3), Poison, Pounce, Scare Special Qualities: Low-light vision, scent, breathe water, ink cloud Saves: Fort +8, Ref +6, Will +3 Abilities: Str 22, Dex 13, Con 17, Int 6, Wis 12, Chr 13 Skills: Balance +7, Climb +6* Listen +9, Sneak +15**, Spot +17, Swim +23*** Feats: Alertness, Endurance, Improved Initiative, Improved Natural Weaponry (Bite), Improved Natural Weaponry (Claws), Run Climate/Terrain: Warm Jungles and Swamps Organization: Solitary or Pack (6-10) Challenge Rating: 6 Treasure: none Advancement: 7-12 (large), 13-18 (Huge) Goblin tigers are the nightmarish synthesis of many mundane predatory animals including snakes, bears, tigers, eagles, and octopi. These beasts possess the bodies of huge tigers with the shoulders and front paws of black bears, tipped with wickedly sharp eagle talons. Small, though capable wings sprout from their shoulders, flapping when the animal is enraged. Snake like scales run down a goblin tiger’s back, terminating in a snake like tail and rattle. A goblin tiger’s head is truly its most horrible feature: a spotted cthuloid bulb, complete with tentacles and topped by a pair of curving ibex horns. In the center of this squirming mass is a tiger like maw bristling with poisonous fangs. The goblin tiger’s eerie eyes resemble those of an octopus and are incredibly keen. Other, less identifiable sense organs also dot the creatures face. Vicious combatants, goblin tigers are almost always establish themselves as the top predators of what ever ecosystem they happen upon. These monsters are sometimes used by the Rakshasa as guard beasts and mounts. Improved Grab (Ex): If a goblin tiger hits an opponent with any of its natural attacks, it may then attempt to start a grapple as a free action and without provoking an attack of opportunity. If it establishes a hold, the tiger begins dealing bite damage automatically and can rake with its powerful back claws. Ink Cloud (Ex): A goblin tiger can emit a cloud of jet-black ink (or smoke) 10 feet high by 10 feet wide by 10 feet long once per minute as a free action. The cloud provides total concealment, which the goblin tiger normally uses to escape a losing fight. All vision within the cloud is obscured. Poison (Ex): Goblin Tigers possess a lethally poisonous bite that deals initial and secondary damage of 1d6 Con. The Fort save DC is 13 and Constitution-based. Pounce (Ex): If a goblin tiger charges a foe, it can make a full attack, including two rake attacks. Rake (Ex): Attack bonus +12 melee, damage 2d6+3. Scare (Ex and Su): A goblin tiger’s frightening mixture of animalistic features (including vocalizations) is enough to unsettle even seasoned warriors. When a goblin tiger reveals itself to its prey, an effect similar to a scare spell is produced (Will DC 13). An opponent that successfully saves cannot be affected again for at least 24 hours. This ability is a supernatural fear effect and its save DC is based on the tiger’s charisma. Skills: Goblin tigers possess a plethora of skill bonus granted to them by their diverse animal heritages. These beasts are consummate stalkers gaining a natural +12 to Sneak checks from their snake-tiger ancestry and bizarre ability to shift their coloration like an octopus. In areas of tall grass or heavy undergrowth this Sneak bonus is increased by an additional +4. ** A goblin tiger glides over virtually any terrain, receiving a +4 to all Balance and Climb checks. *Further, a tiger may always to take 10 on a Climb check, even if rushed or threatened. A goblin tiger’s bear, snake, and octopus heritage grants them great strength and maneuverability in water. They receiving a +20 bonus to Swim checks and may always take 10 on a Swim check, even while distracted or endangered. Also, like an octopi, these beasts’ slimy, mucous covered skin and fur allow them to slip from bonds and grapples easily, gaining a +8 bonus to all Escape Artist checks. Finally, a goblin tiger’s snake and hawk ancestry grants them a +12 bonus to all spot checks.