Post/Author/DateTime	Post
Talisman 06-15-07, 11:33 PM	Red Strangler Small Undead Hit Dice 12d6+36 (114 hp) Initiative +3 Speed 20', climb 20' AC 19 (+1 size, +3 Dex, +5 natural), touch 14, flat-footed 16 Base Attack/Grapple +6/+12 Attack Slam +20 melee Full Attack 2 slams +20 melee Damage Slam 1d6+6 Space/Reach 5'/5' Special Attacks Bonesnapper, choke-hold, constrict 1d6+9, improved grab, frightful presence, sudden strike +3d6, superior grappler Special Qualities Critical vulnerability, DR 10/magic and slashing, martial spirit, unholy toughness Saves Fort +6, Ref +9, Will +9 Abilities Str 22, Dex 17, Con --, Int 5, Wis 12, Cha 16 Skills Climb +19, Hide +17, Listen +6, Move Silently +13, Spot +6 Feats Great Fortitude, Lightning Reflexes, Power Attack, Stealthy, Weapon Focus (slam) Environment Any land Organization Solitary, pair or slither (3-8) Challenge Rating 9? Treasure None Alignment Always chaotic evil Advancement 13-20 HD (Small), 21-30 HD (Medium), 31-36 HD (Large) Level Adjustment -- Out of the shadows appears a horror. This creature--if it is a creature--is scarcely larger than a halfling, but it seems to be nothing but a tangled knot of red, ropy muscles. Long, hideously flexible limbs drag it along the ground, leaving a slimey trail of fluids. Two naked, bloodshot eyeballs near the top of the thing shift around to regard you. Among the vilest of undead, red stranglers are formed when an especially strong humanoid is slowly tortured to death as various body parts are removed. Ultimately, nothing remains save a pair of eyes, a brain, and a tangled knot of raw, red muscle. Made to be warriors and assassins, red stranglers are brutally effective at their appointed tasks. A typical red strangler is about 3' tall and equally wide, weighing 25 to 30 pounds. Red stranglers understand the commands of their master, but cannot speak. Combat: Red stranglers prefer to strike from ambush, remaining concealed until their fingers are around the throat of their victim. They seem to take sadistic joy in their jobs, and will take the time to thoroughly murder one victim before moving on to the next. Bonesnapper (Ex): If a red strangler successfully pins a victim, it may attempt to snap the foe's bones as a full-round action. To do this, the red strangler must win an opposed Strength check against the pinned victim; if the red strangler fails, it only inflicts standard constriction damage. If it wins, however, it snaps a bone in the victim's leg or arm (red strangler's choice). A broken leg reduces speed to 1/4 (and two broken legs render normal movement impossible), while a broken arm is rendered useless. Any broken limb imposes a -4 circumstance penalty on attacks, weapon damage, saves and checks; this penalty remains until the injury is healed, and the penalty stacks if multiple limbs are broken. This penalty is considered a pain effect. A broken limb can be healed by a cure serious wounds or cure critical wounds spell, which will not then heal any hit-point damage. Heal or regenerate will also restore a broken limb. The limb can be set with a DC 20 Heal check, at which time the penalty is reduced to half and normal healing can take place. Choke-Hold (Ex): If a red strangler successfully pins a victim, it may attempt to choke and strangle him as a full-round action. To do this, the red strangler must win an opposed grapple check against the victim; if the strangler fails, it inflicts only standard constriction damage. If it wins, however, it has managed to gain a choke-hold and the victim immediately begins to suffocate. A victim of a choke-hold cannot speak, and thus cannot cast spells with verbal components. Thereafter, the red strangler can maintain the choke-hold for as long as it maintains the pin. Any effect that breaks the creature's pin also breaks the choke-hold, and the red strangler must them achieve a new pin before it can re-establish a choke-hold. Critical Vulnerability (Ex): Unlike most undead, red stranglers do have "vital organs" of a sort, as their dense knots of muscle can be incapacitated if struck in just the right place. They are vulnerable to critical hits; however, as this is more a matter of luck that precise positioning, they are still immune to sneak attack damage and all similar abilities. Frightful Presence (Su): The horrific sight of a red strangler can unman the strongest. When a red strangler attacks, all within 30' of the monster must make Will saves (DC 19). On a failed save, those affected are panicked if of 5th level or less, and shaken otherwise. This lasts for 3d6 rounds and is a mind-affecting fear effect. The save DC is Charisma-based. Note that potential victims of this effect must be aware of the red strangler. If the creature successfully murders a single character while his companions remain unaware, for example, frightful presence does not come into play. Improved Grab (Ex): If a red strangler hits an opponent up to two sizes larger than itself with a slam attack, it will attempt to start a grapple. If it gets a hold, it will constrict. Martial Spirit (Ex): A red strangler gains a bonus on all attacks equal to one-half its racial Hit Dice (+6 for a typical red strangler). Sudden Strike (Ex): If a red strangler catches a foe unable to adequately defend himself, it can deal extra damage. Whenever the red strangler strikes a foe who is flat-footed, the strangler deals an additional 1d6 points of damage per 4 HD (+3d6 for a typical red strangler). Note that a red strangler cannot deal sudden strike damage to a foe who is flanked, unless the foe is also flat-footed. Superior Grappler (Ex): A red strangler is consummately skilled at grappling with and restraining its enemies. It is treated as one size larger than it actually is for purposes of grappling. Thus, a Small red strangler counts as a Medium creature when grappling, gaining a +0 size bonus on grapple checks and the ability to grapple Large creatures. Unholy Toughness (Ex): A red strangler gains bonus hit points equal to its Hit Dice x its Charisma modifier.
Nilbog 06-16-07, 05:55 PM	Cool, and utterly creepy. Eeeehhh....
Talisman 06-18-07, 08:40 PM	Thanks! That's the goal. :bump:
Slayer_Dragonwing 08-24-07, 02:35 PM	Interesting idea. Undead were always one of my favorite moster types because there is always a story behind their creation. I think the goal is simple and well-executed, a creature that grapples people to death and does it well. I also like the rules for broken bones, did you write those yourself or are they in one of the core books?
Talisman 08-24-07, 10:25 PM	Thankee! I made up the "broken bones" rules, since I had never seen any that worked the way I thought they should.